Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

tit for tat

/ˈtɪt fɚ ˈtæt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.11 in modern English

Syllables
tit -for -tat
IPA
/ˈtɪt fɚ ˈtæt/
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Equivalent retribution; an act of returning exactly what one gets; an eye for an eye.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A hat.

Slang

Example Sentences

Etymology

Uncertain; conjectured to be ultimately from Dutch dit voor dat (“this for that”) or French tant pour tant (“equal for equal”). Compare earlier tip for tap (“(a) blow for (a) blow”), from tip + tap; compare also dialectal tint for tant and tit (“a light blow or hit”). The vowel sequence follows a typical ablaut reduplication pattern.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈtɪt fɚ ˈtæt/
  • British English: /ˈtɪt fə(ɹ)ˈtæt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce tit for tat?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtɪt fɚ ˈtæt/.
What does tit for tat mean?
Equivalent retribution; an act of returning exactly what one gets; an eye for an eye.
Where does tit for tat come from?
It is traced to Dutch.

How to pronounce tit for tat

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