# Non-Rhyming Words **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398 "2001-01-04T14:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/1 "2001-01-04T14:39:33Z")
I was asked yesterday to come up with a word that rhymes with “Orange”. It had to be a REAL rhyme, and I came up with “fringe” which to me is a real rhyme. However, the english teacher I was asked this by says that “fringe” is not a real rhyme for “orange”. I say it is because they both end in the same “ringe” sound. She says it has to be something like “borange” (which obviously isn’t a word) and thus she says there’s no word that rhymes with it (try every consonant and it doesn’t work). What do you dopers think? Another question: Is there any word in the english language that does not have a rhyming word? She also says “turquoise” does not have a rhyme either. I don’t believe it but so far I haven’t come up with anything. Sorry if this belongs in IMHO. I wasn’t sure. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/2 "2001-01-04T14:43:30Z")
Oops, I should have done a search first… [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=46722](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=46722) DUH. Mods, please close or delete this if you want. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/3 "2001-01-04T14:47:36Z")
Supposedly “orange” is one of the few words that don’t rhyme with anything. I think purple doesn’t either unless you go the Roger Miller route and say “maple surple” is a word. I don’t know about turquoise at all. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/4 "2001-01-04T15:03:44Z")
The definition of “rhyme” entails “terminal sounds” which is rather murky. Not terminal syllables, but terminal sounds. By that definition, your example qualifies. However, digging a little deeper into OED, one definition (#3) says that “the last _stressed_ vowel, and any sounds following it.” (My italics.) By that definition, your example does not qualify. I think that popular convention accepts this definition as being the “right” one, though. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/5 "2001-01-04T16:19:44Z")
Here at the SDMB we have a poster who rhymes with orange. [Czech it out.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=6784) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/6 "2001-01-04T16:24:36Z")
Kurt Vonnegut rhymed “orange” with “door hinge” in “Welcome to the Monkey House.” Another word that seems to have no rhyme is “month” (especially if you disallow lisping). ---
**Author:** ![Fatwater\_Fewl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4491bb/32.png) [@Fatwater\_Fewl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fatwater_Fewl)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/7 "2001-01-04T16:28:35Z")
The closest I’ve ever heard of anyone coming to finding a rhyme for orange is _door hinge_. As for other non-rhyming words… purple, silver. ---
**Author:** ![Anachronism](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Anachronism](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anachronism)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/8 "2001-01-04T16:55:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Another question: Is there any word in the english language that does not have a rhyming word? She also says “turquoise” does not have a rhyme either. I don’t believe it but so far I haven’t come up with anything. Bourgeois? ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/9 "2001-01-04T18:28:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Is there any word in the english language that does not have a rhyming word? In the immortal words of Alice Cooper: > [@](#): > > Well we got no class > And we got no principles > And we got no innocence > We can’t even think of a word that rhymes jimshep: > [@](#): > > Bourgeois? Sure, if you pronounce turquoise like “too-zhwa” ---
**Author:** ![Anachronism](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Anachronism](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anachronism)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/10 "2001-01-04T19:14:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Sure, if you pronounce turquoise like “too-zhwa” ::Hangs head in shame:: You should have heard me try to pronounce hors d’oeuvre. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/11 "2001-01-04T19:51:46Z")
Actually, I can’t think of anything that rhymes with bourgeois. Or for that matter, with hors d’hoeuvre. ---
**Author:** ![StephenG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@StephenG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StephenG)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-rhyming-words/48398/12 "2001-01-05T05:03:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dtilque \* > \*\*Actually, I can’t think of anything that rhymes with bourgeois. Or for that matter, with hors d’hoeuvre. \*\* Hmm, I can think of a few words that rhyme with “-ois” (particularly in French), but “-geois” is a little harder. “Schwa” is the unstressed vowel (mid, central, rounded, to be specific). “Renoir” works (with either a Boston or a French accent), and so does “patois”. “Serve” seems to rhyme with “hors d’oeuvre”, and so would “swerve”, “verve”, and “curve”.