Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

swamp gas

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.81 in modern English

Syllables: swamp -gas
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Gases emitted from a swamp.

Uncountable

noun

Hydrogen sulfide.

Colloquial; Uncountable

noun

A skeptical explanation that is provided in order to debunk a UFO sighting that a believer regards as ludicrous, illogical or disingenuous.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Swamp gas occasionally catches fire. Sometimes lightning sets off a patch of swamp gas."
"He explained away an especially peculiar sighting with another helping of good old swamp gas."

Etymology

* (hydrogen sulfide): So called because it is often emitted from wetlands such as swamps as a result of anaerobic bacteria, and is responsible for their foul “rotten egg” odor. * (ufology): An explanation given by then-skeptic J. Allen Hynek for an alleged UFO sighting in Michigan near Lake Huron in 1966.

Usage

Phrases

water fire

Frequently Paired Words

water fire

Synonyms

bog gas marsh gas biogas rotten egg gas weather balloon pelicanist

Questions

What does swamp gas mean?: Gases emitted from a swamp.
Where does swamp gas come from?: * (hydrogen sulfide): So called because it is often emitted from wetlands such as swamps as a result of anaerobic bacteria, and is responsible for their foul “rotten egg” odor. * (ufology): An explanation given by then-skeptic J. Allen Hynek for an alleged UFO sighting in Michigan near Lake Huron in 1966.

How to pronounce swamp gas

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