Bite-sized knowledge for the hungrily curious

Is “combobulated” a word?

The Answer

Not really. Although you do find it in some dictionaries.

It is a “back-formation”

back-formation ˈbak-fȯr-ˈmā-shən
1: a word formed by subtraction of a real or supposed affix from an already existing longer word (such as burgle from burglar)

Back-formation | Definition of Back-formation by Merriam-Webster

Other Examples of Back-Formations

  • burgle from burglar
  • fluoresce from fluorescence
  • kidnap from kidnapper
  • liaise from liaison
  • orientate from orientation
  • quantitate from quantitative
  • swashbuckle from swashbuckler

Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:List_of_English_back-formations

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