Editor Was Formed Backwards Into the Verb Edit
An editor prepares work for publication. The noun came first, and English carved the verb out of it afterwards.
An editor prepares text or film for publication. The verb *edit* is younger than the noun: English had *editor* from Latin, then in the eighteenth century worked backwards to produce a verb that Latin never had. The process is called back-formation, and it also gave us *burgle* from *burglar* and *donate* from *donation*.
- One who prepares work for publication. *A commissioning editor.*
- Software for changing text. *A text editor.*
- Edit — to prepare or alter. *Edit the manuscript.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | editor | A senior editor. |
| Plural | editors | Two editors. |
| Verb | edit | Edit the copy. |
| Noun | edition | A second edition. |
| Adjective | editorial | An editorial decision. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The editor cut two thousand words.Publishing.
- An editorial states the paper's view.Journalism.
- Edit was formed from editor.Back-formation.
Kinds of editor
- Commissioning editor — decides what to publish
- Copy editor — corrects grammar, style and consistency
- Proofreader — checks the final version for errors
- Film editor — assembles footage into a finished cut
- Editor-in-chief — heads the whole publication
From Latin *editor*, one who produces, from *edere*, to put forth. The verb *edit* was back-formed in the eighteenth century.
What is back-formation?
Creating a new word by removing what looks like a suffix from an existing one. Edit, burgle and donate all arose this way.
Copy editor or proofreader?
A copy editor improves the text itself. A proofreader checks a near-final version for remaining errors.