Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

interrobang

/ɪnˈtɛ.ɹəˌbæŋ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.36 in modern English

Syllables
in-ter-ro-bang
IPA
/ɪnˈtɛ.ɹəˌbæŋ/
14
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The nonstandard punctuation mark ⟨‽⟩ (a combination of ⟨?⟩ and ⟨!⟩), which may be used at the end of a sentence to express excitement or disbelief, or to indicate that it is a rhetorical question.

noun

A combination of a question mark and an exclamation mark; ⟨!?⟩ or ⟨?!⟩.

verb

To exclaim and question at the same time.

Humorous

Example Sentences

Etymology

A blend of French (point d')interrogation (“question mark”) or the equivalent term in another Romance language + bang (“exclamation mark, exclamation point”), coined in a 1962 article in the journal TYPEtalks by American advertising executive Martin Kiehra Speckter (1915–1988), who invented the symbol.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ɪnˈtɛ.ɹəˌbæŋ/
  • British English: /ɪnˈtɛ.ɹəʊˌbæŋ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Questions

How do you pronounce interrobang?
The recorded pronunciation is /ɪnˈtɛ.ɹəˌbæŋ/.
What does interrobang mean?
The nonstandard punctuation mark ⟨‽⟩ (a combination of ⟨?⟩ and ⟨!⟩), which may be used at the end of a sentence to express excitement or disbelief, or to indicate that it is a rhetorical question.
Where does interrobang come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce interrobang

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