Meaning & use
backronym
Last updated
An acronym deliberately created to fit an existing word or phrase, rather than the word being formed naturally from an acronym.
See it in a sentence
Some claim 'SOS' is a backronym for 'Save Our Ship,' though it was originally chosen just for being easy to signal in Morse code.
The company invented a catchy backronym to explain its brand name.
A note on using this word
A blend of 'back' and 'acronym'; distinguishes cases where the phrase was invented after the word, unlike a true acronym.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “backronym”, then compare your use with the examples above.