Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

carriwitchet

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 0.00 in modern English

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Unknown. Sayers (2014) suggests a derivation from Irish ceartaithe (“corrected, set straight”, old spelling ceartuighthe), the past participle of ceartaigh. The OED references Fitzedward Hall's tentative query in Modern English (1873) of French colifichet (“trinket, bauble”), and F. C. Birkbeck Terry more fancifully proposes a corruption of "quaerite, which is it?" Compare also Scottish English carritch, a corruption of catechism.

carriwitchets (plural) carwhichet (alternative) carwitchet (alternative)

What does carriwitchet mean?: An absurd question; a quibble; a conundrum; a pun; a piece of jocularity or facetiousness.
Where does carriwitchet come from?: Unknown. Sayers (2014) suggests a derivation from Irish ceartaithe (“corrected, set straight”, old spelling ceartuighthe), the past participle of ceartaigh. The OED references Fitzedward Hall's tentative query in Modern English (1873) of French colifichet (“trinket, bauble”), and F. C. Birkbeck Terry more fancifully proposes a corruption of "quaerite, which is it?" Compare also Scottish English carritch, a corruption of catechism.

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