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A semordnilap is a word that spells another valid, distinct word when its letters are read in reverse order (such as "desserts" spelled backwards becoming "stressed").
The term "semordnilap" is itself a reverse coinage: it is the word "palindromes" spelled backward. Coined by recreational wordplay enthusiasts in the mid-20th century, semordnilaps differ strictly from palindromes. A palindrome reads as the exact same word forwards and backwards (e.g. "racecar"). A semordnilap must produce a completely different valid dictionary word (such as "diaper" becoming "repaid", or "gateman" becoming "nametag"). In our algorithmic universe scan of 185k words, exactly 450 unique semordnilap pairs exist in English.
Test any word to discover its backwards semordnilap twin:
Verified English words exemplifying semordnilaps (reversal words) with Scrabble scores
Linguistic definitions, etymological origins, and tournament usage
A semordnilap is a word that spells a different, valid English word when reversed letter-for-letter. For example, "stressed" spelled backwards becomes "desserts".