Kangaroo word
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A kangaroo word is a word that contains letters of another word, in order, with the same meaning. For example: the word masculine contains the word male, which is a synonym of the first word; similarly, the word observe contains its synonym see.
The etymology of the phrase kangaroo word is from the fact that kangaroos carry their young (known as joeys) in a body pouch. Likewise, kangaroo words carry their joey words within themselves. Double kangaroos are kangaroo words containing two joey words (for example: container features both tin and can).
Some compilers require that the letters of the joey word must not all be consecutive within the kangaroo word,[1][2] or that the kangaroo and joey words must be etymologically unrelated.[1]
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[edit] Examples
The joey word is highlighted in bold within the kangaroo word. The list is separated according to the strictness of the definition, and etymologies are taken from Webster's Dictionary.
[edit] Letters may not be consecutive
[edit] Etymologically unrelated
- affect
- appropriate
- asseverate
[edit] Etymologically related
- acrid
- amicable
- astound
[edit] Letters permitted to be consecutive
[edit] Etymologically unrelated
- aberrant
- barricade
- canister
[edit] Etymologically related
- action
- arch
- banish
- inflammable
[edit] References
- ^ a b D. Morice, The Dictionary of Wordplay, Teachers & Writers, 2001, ISBN 0915924994, retrieved by Google Books Search on 1 Dec, 2007
- ^ A Word A Day, retrieved 1 Dec 2007
