surveiling, to surveil?

[Jane P Parker]

It is interesting to me the couple of online dictionaries I tried the words on
didn't have it listed.
I tried to look it up before posting.  I sure sounded weird to me.

Jane Parker

Drew Danielson wrote:

> Jane P Parker wrote:
> >
> > "Something may have happened in the  area we were surveiling/surveilling. "
> >  Is this a real word? Heard on The World  npr thurs evening
> > used by Dr. Ray Arthur.  Surveilling for ebola in Uganda.
> >
> > I could have misheard but it sure sounded like surveiling
> >
> > Jane P Parker
>
> American Heritage says:
>
> sur·veil
> v. tr. sur·veilled, sur·veil·ling, sur·veils. Usage Problem
>
> To keep under surveillance.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> [Back-formation from surveillance.]
> Usage Note: Surveil has encountered the same kind of critical resistance
> that was once accorded to other back-formations such as diagnose and
> donate. It remains to be seen whether it too will eventually come to be
> regarded as useful and unexceptionable.