1. Affixation:
* Prefixation: Adding a prefix to the beginning of a word (e.g., *un-* in *unhappy*, *pre-* in *preheat*).
* Suffixation: Adding a suffix to the end of a word (e.g., *-ing* in *walking*, *-ly* in *quickly*).
2. Compounding:
* Combining two or more existing words to create a new one (e.g., *blackboard*, *boyfriend*, *sunrise*).
3. Conversion (or Zero Derivation):
* Changing the grammatical function of a word without adding any affixes (e.g., *run* as a verb to *run* as a noun).
4. Blending:
* Combining parts of two or more words to create a new one (e.g., *smog* from *smoke* and *fog*, *brunch* from *breakfast* and *lunch*).
5. Clipping:
* Shortening an existing word by removing parts of it (e.g., *phone* from *telephone*, *prof* from *professor*).
6. Acronymy:
* Creating a new word from the initial letters of a phrase (e.g., *NATO* from *North Atlantic Treaty Organization*, *laser* from *Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation*).
7. Back-formation:
* Creating a new word by removing what appears to be a suffix from an existing word (e.g., *edit* from *editor*, *donate* from *donation*).
8. Onomatopoeia:
* Creating a word that imitates the sound it refers to (e.g., *buzz*, *meow*, *crash*).
9. Eponymy:
* Creating a word from a person's name (e.g., *sandwich* from the Earl of Sandwich, *boycott* from Charles Boycott).
These are just some examples, and there are many other ways to create new words. The specific process used will depend on the language and the specific word being created.
It's important to note that word formation processes are constantly evolving as languages change and new words are created. This is why it's fascinating to study the history of words and how they have come to be used in the ways they are.