TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

BACKRONYM [1 record]

Record 1 2017-08-31

English

Subject field(s)
  • Lexicology, Lexicography, Terminology
DEF

[A] word [or series of letters] which has been made into an acronym ... even though it was not originally formed from one.

CONT

While acronyms are formed from phrases or names that exist beforehand, a backronym is an acronym deliberately created to suit a particular word or words, either to create a memorable name, or as a fanciful explanation of a word's origin.

CONT

Save Our Ship! It seems so obvious, but the purported acronym is actually a backronym. The international code signal of extreme distress, SOS was actually chosen for how easy it is to transmit in Morse code.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Lexicologie, lexicographie et terminologie
DEF

Mot ou série de lettres qui devient un acronyme après la fabrication rétroactive des mots ou de l'expression d'où proviennent les lettres qui forment l'acronyme.

CONT

Construire des rétroacronymes est une forme de jeu de mots, souvent plaisante, pour donner un sens à une expression qui n'en avait pas au départ, mais semblait être un acronyme.

Spanish

Save record 1

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Features

Language Portal of Canada

Access a collection of Canadian resources on all aspects of English and French, including quizzes.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: