Is there a name for a word that, when spelled backwards, forms a different word? For example, dog spelled backwards is god.
My memory just calls them reversals, but this word page just calls them reversible words.
And so does this other reversible words page.
I was thinking of palimdromes, but palindromes must form the same word or phrase forwards or backwords, like racecar.
It is a very specialized form of anagram (“margana” is AFAIK not a word). An anagram, of course, is a set of words using the same letters in different order, like TOPS, STOP, SPOT, POST, and POTS. Note that SPOT and TOPS, and STOP and POTS, are reversals within this anagram set.
In honor of the time tested tradition of the SDMB generally improving life on this planet of ours, if no better word be found (reversible word just sounds flakey) I say we offer Margana Anagram to OED as the official phrase for above stated situation.
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MeatBeast,
Proud member since 2003
Filthy–
Good idea, but I think the OED should just call it a margana.
The first time I saw a term applied to such words, it was “drow”. (Think about it.) But that didn’t seem to catch on.
There’s been some threads that have given a more commonly used term for them, but I can’t recall it. It seems my mind is stuck with “drow”. Eugh.
I haven’t seen a commonly agreed term for a word of this kind, but I’ve seen pairs of this kind referred to as ‘mirror’ pairs, ‘reflection’ pairs or reversibles. And I agree with those who say it’s just a special type of anagram.
Just off the top of my head… a reversagram? 