ghoti

English - English

Definition of ghoti in English English dictionary

A jocular constructed word, supposedly pronounced exactly like “fish” (IPA: /fɪʃ/ ) and used to illustrate irregularities in English spelling:

G. B. Shaw’s well known suggestion that English spelling habits would allow ghoti for fish gains much of its humor from the fact that the vowel is a unique spelling and the consonants are positional variants misused.

A jocular constructed word, supposedly pronounced exactly like "fish" (IPA: /fɪʃ/ ) and used to illustrate irregularities in English spelling: "

Etymology

() Though frequently reported to be a coinage of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), this term dates back to at least 1855.Ben Zimmer, "On Language", The New York Times Magazine, June 21, 2010.