spoonerism
noun/ˈspuːnərɪzəm/
/ˈspuːnərɪzəm/
- a mistake in which you change around the first sounds of two words by mistake when saying them, often with a humorous result, for example well-boiled icicle for well-oiled bicycleTopics Languagec2Word OriginNamed after W.A. Spooner (1844–1930), the head of New College, Oxford, who was said to have made many mistakes like this when he spoke.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
spoonerism