palindrome
What is the opposite of palindrome? Here is what we hold, with its meaning and related words.
Noun — A word, phrase, number or sequence that reads the same backwards as forwards, ignoring spaces, punctuation and capital letters.
We haven't recorded synonyms for palindrome yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.
How to use palindrome
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
palindrome date
a perfect palindrome
palindromic number
Neutral; common in puzzles, wordplay and school English.
Etymology
From Greek palindromos 'running back again', from palin 'again, back' and dromos 'a running'.
Full origin of palindrome →Frequently asked questions
What is the longest palindrome word in English?
In standard dictionaries it is usually given as 'detartrated' or the informal 'tattarrattat', coined by Joyce for a knock at the door. Among common everyday words 'racecar', 'redivider' and 'rotator' are the usual contenders.
Do palindromes count spaces and punctuation?
Conventionally no. A phrase counts as a palindrome if the letters alone read the same in both directions, which is why 'Never odd or even' and 'Madam, I'm Adam' qualify.
What is the difference between a palindrome and an anagram?
A palindrome reads identically backwards, keeping the letters in place. An anagram rearranges all the letters of a word or phrase to make a different one, as 'listen' becomes 'silent'.
