Back-formations - Correct and Preferred Usage

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.