Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pencil-neck

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.87 in modern English

Syllables
pen-cil--neck
IPA
20
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A person with a very thin neck.

Informal

noun

An insubstantial person; a weakling.

American usage; Derogatory

Example Sentences

Etymology

From pencil + neck, popularized by wrestler Freddie Blassie.

Usage

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Questions

What does pencil-neck mean?
A person with a very thin neck.
Where does pencil-neck come from?
From pencil + neck, popularized by wrestler Freddie Blassie.

How to pronounce pencil-neck

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pencil-neck”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pencil-neck”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “pencil-neck” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.