Backronym

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The Jargon File

Parts of this article are based on the Jargon File, v. 4.4.7,
a public domain document of hacker jargon.

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backronym
Usage: n.
Derivation: Portmanteau of back + acronym

See Also: retcon


backronym: n.

[portmanteau of back + acronym] A word interpreted as an acronym that was not originally so intended. This is a special case of what linguists call back formation. Examples are given under recursive acronym (Cygnus), Acme, and mung. Discovering backronyms is a common form of wordplay among hackers. Compare retcon.

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Sources

Source: backronym, in The Jargon File, version 4.4.7.


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