Nonce word
English
Etymology
From “for the nonce” and “word”. Coined by James Murray, the influential first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Noun
nonce word (plural: nonce words)
- A word invented for a particular occasion, especially to create alliteration or a rhyme.
Walkthrough Video
Example
- Sometimes I feel quite certain there's a jertain in my curtain. — Dr. Seuss
Synonyms
Hypernyms
See also
- non-word
- hapax legomenon (one attestation)
- dis legomenon (two attestations)
- tris legomenon (three attestations)
Other Dictionary Entries for "Nonce word"
- Merriam Webster's Entry for "Nonce word"
- Britannica's Entry for "Nonce word"
- Cambridge Dictionary's Entry for "Nonce word"
- https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/nonce-word Collins Dictionary's Entry for "Nonce word"]
- Wiktionary's Entry for "Nonce word"
- Dictionary.com's Entry for "Nonce word"