15 Words Which Sound Like Their Meanings
I love words. As a writer and speaker, I often have the opportunity to pull double duty with the English language. Along the way, I’ve learned that some words look better on the page while others need to be spoken out loud for full effect. When spoken, some roll off the tongue and others catch in your throat. There are words which don’t sound remotely like their meaning (such as “forceps,” which always makes me think of a muscle), but some of my favorites are those which actually do.
Try saying these out loud (either alone or with an suitably empathetic person):
- Leisurely
- Slop
- Myopic
- Whip
- Mellifluous
- Lewd
- Phlegm
- Decrepit
- Twang
- Cringe
- Besotted
- Quick
- Gnarled
- Blabbermouth
- Meticulousness
How about you? What’cha got?
I’ve always loved how the word “pith” sounds like what you actually do when you’re spitting out the orange pith that found it’s way into your mouth without your consent.
yeth, I like pith too.
And WUV-TWUE WUV-WILL FOWOW YOU FOWEVA. From the Princess Bride.
As for the word “pith”, it brings back memories of pithing frogs
in Biology Lab. You punched a large needle into the top of the frog’s head between his eyes and squiggle his brains so he will be paralyzed for dissection. PITH. The reason I failed Biology in 1979.
If someone stuck a needle between my eyes and squiggled my brains, I’d be pithed.
I’ve always thought that circuitous and titillating both sound like their meaning… the vowels seem to go around in a circle in the former, and the latter is sort of peck-pecky as though someone were tapping on my senses saying “notice me.” (here via a Google search on “words that sound like their meaning.”)
How about extrude?
how about sizzle?
i think words like smash,crash,smooth,snake,crack,break,etc,all sound like their meanings.i was actually looking for the word that terms this.think it it anametapoeic or something
Onomatopoeia refers to a word imitating a specific sound it describes.
MOXIE!
Is that the attitude, or the beverage?
The attitude baby! Don’t you think “moxie” sounds like it has a lot of moxie?
[...] of moxie. Lo and behold, I am not alone in ruminating over such things because I googled upon my identical blog-post twin. Damn it’s lovely to know you’re not alone in your [...]
Random bits of lovely « Nine People’s Favorite Thing said this on November 7, 2008 at 1:14 pm |
Absolutely! You stated that with moxie!
crisp
say it “crisssspp”
Sharp — notice how ’sharp’ the P sounds
Discombobulate — even a bit confusing to pronounce
Frenetic – feel a bit frenzied whenever i use this word
How about “persnickety”?
Hi guys, how about everyday really simple easy words that “sound” good – either rolling or scratching your throat?