Kangaroo word

Kangaroo word

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,D. Morice, "The Dictionary of Wordplay", Teachers & Writers, 2001, ISBN 0915924994, retrieved by [http://books.google.com/books?id=AwHM55Dyt_wC&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=%22kangaroo+word%22+-wikipedia&source=web&ots=Op-BNW7ll9&sig=snqNliJNJmNBwzFwkbrJgjChV6w#PPA97,M1 Google Books Search] on 1 Dec, 2007] [ [http://wordsmith.org/awad/archives/1102 A Word A Day, retrieved 1 Dec 2007] ] or that the kangaroo and joey words must be etymologically unrelated.

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.

Letters may not be consecutive

Etymologically unrelated

*affect
*appropriate
*asseverate

Etymologically related

*acrid
*amicable
*astound

Letters permitted to be consecutive

Etymologically unrelated

*aberrant
*barricade
*canister

Etymologically related

*action
*arch
*banish
*inflammable

References


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