Definition of Four-letter word

1. Noun. Any of several short English words (often having 4 letters) generally regarded as obscene or offensive.

Exact synonyms: Four-letter Anglo-saxon Word
Generic synonyms: Word

Definition of Four-letter word

1. Noun. A reference to any of several of the strongest English swearword that are also four letters long, especially those composing the so-called seven dirty words. ¹

2. Noun. A swearword or any words considered to be taboo in a given scenario, (regardless of how many letters are actually in the word or words in question). ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Four-letter Word

four-footed
four-force
four-four time
four-hitter
four-hundredth
four-in-hand
four-in-hands
four-lane
four-leaf
four-leaf clover
four-leaf clovers
four-leaved
four-legged
four-letter Anglo-Saxon word
four-letter word (current term)
four-letter words
four-lined leaf bug
four-lined plant bug
four-master
four-membered
four-minute man
four-momenta
four-momentum
four-o'clock
four-o'clock family
four-on-the-floor
four-part harmony
four-party
four-peat

Literary usage of Four-letter word

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Popular Science Monthly (1901)
"... greatest frequency was the four-letter word, a thing never met with before. His preference for the four-letter word may be said, indeed, to constitute ..."

2. Ten-minute Activitiesby Martha Cheney, Ethel Condon, Marilyn Evans by Martha Cheney, Ethel Condon, Marilyn Evans (2001)
"Try these: Three-letter word with the sum of 18 four-letter word with the sum of 18 Five-letter word with the sum of 24 Six-letter word with the sum of 32 ..."

3. A Manual for Teachers of Primary Reading by Emma K. Gordon (1918)
"A four-letter word 5. Four words that contain e 3. A three-letter word 6. Three words that contain r 7. Something that has wings 5. Picture. ..."

4. Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing by Linda J. Dorn, Cathy French, Tammy Jones (1998)
"... cards are of different sizes in order to isolate different visual aspects of the text (one letter, a two-letter word, a four-letter word, a phrase, etc. ..."

5. Teaching Adolescent Writers by Kelly Gallagher (2006)
"Students need to learn that "work" is a good four-letter word, because with the class sizes we face and the number of writing standards that we must teach, ..."

6. Sound Systems: Explicit, Systematic Phonics in Early Literacy Contexts by Anna Lyon, Paula Moore (2002)
"So, sounding out even a four-letter word may present a challenge for young, inexperienced readers; they find it very difficult to hold sounds in short-term ..."

7. Harvard Psychological Studies by Harvard Psychological Laboratory (1922)
"As some changes necessitated four-letter words, at least one four-letter word appeared on each pair of cards. There was an equal number of changes at the ..."

8. Practice with Purpose: Literacy Work Stations for Grades 3-6by Debbie Diller by Debbie Diller (2005)
"For example, the teacher says, "Make the four-letter word ride. Then add a letter to make ride into bride. Now take away one letter and add two letters to ..."

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