Semordnilaps In English

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You may well have heard of a palindrome, but have you heard of a Semordnilap?

This is the word given to a word that is another word when written backwards.

If you study the word you will see that it is palindrome backwards, which is a little misleading as they are two completely different things, as a backwards palindrome is by definition a palindrome, so taking that word and writing it backwards is a little bit confusing perhaps.

Anyhow, here is a list of some common words that are different words when written backwards.
By: listmaster

List of Semordnilaps In English

(1) Stressed

This is a particularly nice one as it is quite a common word. And backwards it reads desserts, so they are both common words too!

(2) Rewarder

This word is not used that often, but we all can work out what it means. And backwards it is redrawer which is much more obscure.

(3) Gateman

An interesting one this, as backwrads it is nametag, so two completely different things!

(4) Straw

This word backwards is warts, and if you've ever done a wordsearch containing the word straw then you may well have come across warts in the letter grid and wondered what was going on, well that is why!

(5) Smart

Those trams when they go backwards are quite clever. If you were writing a cryptic crossword clue then these semordnilaps could be quite useful. "Trams travelling backwards are clever" would be a nice little crossword clue for this one for instance.

(6) Diaper

If you are American then you will use diapers instead of nappies, and if you do and put it on backwards then you will be 'repaid'.

(7) Live

This is an interesting one, as both 'live' and 'lived' are semordnilaps. Since live and evil and lived and devil. It is interesting two that the two words backwards are connected!

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