English Explanatory Dictionary

spoonerism

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A play on words on a phrase in which the initial (usually consonantal) sounds of two or more of the main words are transposed.
noun
  1. Alternative letter-case form of spoonerism.

Pronunciation

/ˈspuː.nəɹˌɪ.zəm/ spo͞oʹ-nər-ĭʹ-zəm en-au-spoonerism.ogg en-us-spoonerism.ogg

Word forms

spoonerism spoonerisms

Etymology

From Spooner + -ism, named after Oxford don Reverend W. A. Spooner (1844–1930), who is supposed to have habitually made such slip-ups.

Synonyms

marrowsky

Related words

spooneristic spooneristically
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