Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

tom swifty

/ˌtɔm ˈswɪft.i/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.01 in modern English

Syllables: Tom Swift-y
IPA: /ˌtɔm ˈswɪft.i/

20

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A humorous phrase in which a supposed quotation is linked by a pun to the manner in which it is attributed.

Example Sentences

"Since then the Tom Swifty has trudged on, not exactly swiftly but with an impressive staying power. You can find Web sites that list as many as nine hundred of them. As the above examples suggest, Tom Swifties are virtually never funny, but they illustrate an adverb-centered sin against writing."

Etymology

Referring to the Tom Swift series of books, whose authors frequently avoided the word "said" in favour of other constructions, + -y.

Word Breakdown

Suffix: y

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌtɔm ˈswɪft.i/
British English: /ˌtɒm ˈswɪft.iː/

Inflected Forms

Tom Swifties (plural) Tom Swiftie (alternative)

Phrases

elegant variation

Frequently Paired Words

elegant variation Wellerism wrylie

Questions

How do you pronounce tom swifty?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌtɔm ˈswɪft.i/.
What does tom swifty mean?: A humorous phrase in which a supposed quotation is linked by a pun to the manner in which it is attributed.
Where does tom swifty come from?: Referring to the Tom Swift series of books, whose authors frequently avoided the word "said" in favour of other constructions, + -y.

How to pronounce tom swifty

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “tom swifty”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌtɔm ˈswɪft.i/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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