AMA Manual of Style - Stacy L. Christiansen, Cheryl Iverson 2020
Back-formations
Correct and Preferred Usage
The transformation of a noun into a verb is a back-formation, often seen in technical as well as informal writing. Diagnose, for example, is a mid—19th-century back-formation, from diagnosis. Back-formations in use include dialyze (from dialysis) and anesthetize (from anesthesia). A back-formation that is not widely accepted is diurese (from diuresis). Any use of back-formations should be checked in a dictionary.
Back-formation: |
The patient was diuresed. |
Preferred: |
The patient was given diuretics [or underwent diuresis]. |
Back-formation |
The individuals were cohortized. |
Preferred: |
The individuals were studied as a cohort. |
Also correct: |
The researchers used a cohort design. |
Back-formation: |
The patient was hysterectomized. |
Preferred: |
The patient had [or underwent] a hysterectomy. |