| backreference
= B =
backspace and overstrike
backronym n.
[portmanteau of back + acronym] A word
interpreted as an acronym that was not originally so intended.
This is a special case of what linguists call `back formation'.
Examples are given under BASIC, recursive acronym
(Cygnus), Acme, and mung. Discovering backronyms is a
common form of wordplay among hackers. Compare retcon.
--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.
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