Friday: General Knowledge

In linguistics, what is the term for a word that is spelled the same forwards and backwards?

Hint: Some common examples include words like "racecar," "level," and "radar." … →

In linguistics, a palindrome is a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward.

Some common examples include words like "racecar," "level," and "radar."

Palindromes are found in both single words and longer phrases, provided that spaces, punctuation, and capitalization are ignored.

Palindromes have intrigued people throughout history for their symmetry and balance, appearing in various languages and contexts. They are not only limited to language but are also observed in numbers and dates. This fascinating form of wordplay is a key concept in both recreational linguistics and mathematical puzzles.

What do the other words mean?

  • Ambigram – A word that reads the same upside down or from different orientations, which could be mistaken as similar.

  • Synonym – Words with similar meanings, which could throw someone off if they’re focusing on word-related terms.

  • Homophone – Words that sound the same but have different meanings, which might seem like a tricky fit.

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