Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

twist

/twɪst/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.22 in modern English

Syllables
twist
IPA
/twɪst/
8
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A twisting force.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Anything twisted, or the act of twisting.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The form given in twisting.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The degree of stress or strain when twisted.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A type of thread made from two filaments twisted together.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A sliver of lemon peel added to a cocktail, etc.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A sudden bend (or short series of bends) in a road, path, etc.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A distortion to the meaning of a passage or word.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English twist, from Old English *twist, in compounds (e.g. mæsttwist (“a rope; stay”), candeltwist (“a wick”)), from Proto-Germanic *twistaz, a derivative of *twi- (“two-”) (compare also twine, between, betwixt). Related to Saterland Frisian Twist (“discord”), Dutch twist (“twist; strife; discord”), German Low German Twist (“strife; discord”), German Zwist (“turmoil; strife; discord”), Swedish tvist (“quarrel; dispute”), Icelandic tvistur (“deuce”). The verb is from Middle English twisten. Compare Dutch twisten, Danish tviste (“to dispute”), Swedish tvista (“to argue; dispute”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: twist, *twist, *twistaz, twisten

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Antonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce twist?
The recorded pronunciation is /twɪst/.
What does twist mean?
A twisting force.
Where does twist come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce twist

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