Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nonce word

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.44 in modern English

Syllables
non-ce -word
IPA
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A word invented for the occasion, especially to create alliteration or a rhyme.

Etymology

From for the nonce and word. Coined by James Murray, the influential first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Inflected Forms

nonce words (plural)

Phrases

non-word hapax legomenon dis legomenon tris legomenon

Frequently Paired Words

non-word hapax legomenon dis legomenon tris legomenon

Synonyms

nonce occasionalism contrivance logatome pseudoword hapax legomenon

Questions

What does nonce word mean?
A word invented for the occasion, especially to create alliteration or a rhyme.
Where does nonce word come from?
From for the nonce and word. Coined by James Murray, the influential first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary.

How to pronounce nonce word

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