Word of the Day – Spoonerism

Spoonerism (noun)

spu-na-riz-m

A verbal error in which a speaker accidentally transposes the initial sounds or letters of two or more words, often to humorous effect.

I learned this word after discovering Rindercella (look it up). Named after the Revd W. A. Spooner (1844–1930), an English scholar who reputedly made such errors in speaking.

Example sentences

“He called me a cupid stunt and it took me three hours to work out it was a spoonerism.”

“Ronnie Barker was particularly fond of humorous spoonerisms.”