Monday 19th January 2026
    Difficulty: Medium

    Backformed words (#1,158)

    Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@impatrickt?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Patrick Tomasso</a>
    Photo by Patrick Tomasso (Unsplash)

    We all know what it is to be uncouth, but is couth a word? Here are some questions about similar backformations of words.

    1. We've all been disgruntled, but was gruntle ever a word, and, if so, what did it mean?

    2. We've all heard of people living in untrammelled luxury, but is trammel a word, and, if so, what does it mean?

    3. We've all been discombobulated (maybe by some of these quizzes), but is combobulate a word, and, if so, what does it mean?

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