ANAGRAM Definition & Meaning

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anagram

[an-uh-gram]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a word, phrase, or sentence formed from another by rearranging its letters.
“Angel” is an anagram of “glean.”
(used with a singular verb)��anagrams, a game in which the players build words by transposing and, often, adding letters.

verb (used with object)

anagrammed, anagramming

to form (the letters of a text) into a secret message by rearranging them.
to rearrange (the letters of a text) so as to discover a secret message.

anagram

/ ˈænəˌɡræm, ˌænəɡrəˈmætɪk /

noun

a word or phrase the letters of which can be rearranged into another word or phrase

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

anagrammatic adjective
anagrammatical adjective
anagrammatically adverb
ˌ��Բ��ˈ��پ�� adverb

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of anagram¹

First recorded in 1580–90; probably from Middle French anagramme, from New Latin anagramma; equivalent to ana- + -gram ¹

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of anagram¹

C16: from New Latin anagramma, shortened from Greek anagrammatismos, from anagrammatizein to transpose letters, from _ana- + gramma a letter

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

After the health department shut it down, the couple rented a small storefront nearby and named it Erewhon, an anagram of “nowhere.”

From

The name turned out to be an anagram of Mr. Navarro’s surname and he described it as a “Hitchcockian writing device” that became an inside joke with himself.

From

Even the band's name is an anagram of the phrase "I'm fearless".

From

These are wild anagrams for a stain on satin, giving material heft to ephemeral language.

From

She’s everywhere, all the time, and her name happens to be an anagram of the word raven.

From

anagogy anagrammatize

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