I am looking for the word that is the opposite of the word "acronym."

If an acronym is a word made up from the first letters of a word in a phrase (ex. SCUBA = Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), what do you call a phrase made up from the letters of a single word?

Thank you.

Are you thinking of "acrostic"? Something like:

We
Only
Read
Dante

I'm sure there are thousands of better acrostics on this site alone, but it's the end of the day and my brain has punched out early.

Flatlander

a phrase made up from the letters of a single word?

Welcome to AWADtalk! I'm not sure if there's a word for it, but do you mean when you start off with the word, eg, SMART, and then try to find a phrase that fits both the letters and your particular purpose? Unfortunately I'm brain-dead at this point of the day and can't think of anything clever for SMART. It's so bad that I can't even think of what it actually does stand for, which here in Michigan is "Southeast Michigan A_____ R_____ Transit" (Or something like that - Sparteye, do you know?)

If there is a word for the backward process, someone on the Board will know!

Hi Flatlander:

"Acrostic" sounds good. Thanks!

A friend of mine is looking for the word, and he had asked many of his friends who came up with nothing. I immediately thought of this site but didn't expect an answer in just hours!

Tam Tran

Hi Nancy K:

Thanks for your message. You must be a regular on AWADtalk having recognized that I am a newcomer. =) I hope to begin reading and participating more on the forums when I finish my exams and papers in a few weeks.

Tam Tran

Really good question! And welcome to the board, tbtran!...I'm just going through my "initiation" myself...you're in for a treat!

Wouldn't the opposite of acronym, then, be a word made up from the LAST letters of the words in a phrase? And since that doesn't happen often, does a word even exist for it? Perhaps you'll have to invent one...add to the language! I'll keep peeking in to see if someone comes up with an answer or solution.

Wouldn't the opposite of acronym, then, be a word made up from the LAST letters of the words in a phrase? And since that doesn't happen often, does a word even exist for it? Perhaps you'll have to invent one...add to the language! I'll keep peeking in to see if someone comes up with an answer or solution.

How about "bacronym"?

>bacronym<

Like it, Jazzoctopus!!

bacronym

Don't think that's what he's after, though.

I don't think acrostic works well, since it has the more specialized meaning illustrated by flatlander. I once searched for this myself, came up empty, and coined the phrase "acronymic expansion". (well, it was new to me : )

I once searched for this myself, came up empty,

Holy cow, tbtran! Congratulations! You have won our game of Stump the Tsuwm.

[I-didn't-think-I'd-live-to-see-the-day emoticon]

Sparteye, what's the word for laughing so hard you feel you're about to upchuck and ruin your keyboard?

what's the word for laughing so hard you feel you're about to upchuck

Upchuckling? Laughralphing?

sure... make light of one of my darkest days.

Stump the Tsuwm

No, no, Sparteye--it's Tsump the Tsuwm!

AnnaS., what about larfing?

Tswum, poor baby, I'm sorry you're having a dark day, but aren't we just little rays of sunshine for you?

Dear Heart,
You must show that you have a small imperfection, now and then, lest you enrage the gods.
wow
High Priestess

How about "bacronym"?

Nah - sounds like another name for pork bellies. I like your thinking, though. Keeping it Greek, bathonym would be the opposite or acronym.