Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bootlegger

/ˈbuːtlɛɡə(ɹ)/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.15 in modern English

Syllables: boot-leg-ger
IPA: /ˈbuːtlɛɡə(ɹ)/

14

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Someone who bootlegs.

noun

Someone who bootlegs.

noun

Someone who bootlegs.

Example Sentences

"His sermon was a forthright denunciation of sin, an austere declaration of the motto on the wall behind him: he warned his flock against the evils of heady brews, gambling, and strange women. Bootleggers caused enough trouble in the Quarters, but women were worse."

Etymology

From bootleg + -er. Originally a nickname given to smugglers in King George III's reign, derived from the smugglers' custom of hiding packages of valuables in the legs of their large sea-boots when dodging the king's coastguardsmen.

Inflected Forms

bootleggers (plural)

Derived Forms

booklegger bootleggery buttlegger foodlegger organlegger

Phrases

bootlegger reverse

Frequently Paired Words

bootlegging legger moonshiner revenuer

Synonyms

pirate moonshiner

Questions

How do you pronounce bootlegger?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈbuːtlɛɡə(ɹ)/.
What does bootlegger mean?: Someone who bootlegs.
Where does bootlegger come from?: From bootleg + -er. Originally a nickname given to smugglers in King George III's reign, derived from the smugglers' custom of hiding packages of valuables in the legs of their large sea-boots when dodging the king's coastguardsmen.

How to pronounce bootlegger

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