lisp

Meaning

Noun

The habit or an act of lisping.

Verb

1. To pronounce the consonant ‘s’ imperfectly; to give ‘s’ and ‘z’ the sounds of ‘th’ (/θ/, /ð/). This is a speech impediment common among children.
2. To speak with imperfect articulation; to mispronounce, such as a child learning to talk.
3. To speak hesitatingly and with a low voice, as if afraid.
4. to express by the use of simple, childlike language.
5. To speak with reserve or concealment; to utter timidly or confidentially.

Synonyms

stammer

stutter

stuttering

speech defect

mispronounce

mumble

prattle

slur

splutter

stammering

tongue-tied

sibilate

clip one’s words

speak indistinctly

speak slowly

babble

sigmatism

falter

haw

lisping

Pronounced as (IPA)

/lɪsp/

Etymology

From Middle English lispen, lipsen, wlispen, from Old English *wlispian (attested in āwlyspian (“to lisp”)), from Old English wlisp, wlips (“stammering, lisping”, adj), from Proto-Germanic *wlispaz (“lisping”), from Proto-Indo-European *wlis-, *wleys- (“rod”), from *wel- (“to turn, roll”). Cognate with Middle Low German wlispen (“to lisp”), Dutch lispen (“to lisp”), German lispeln (“to lisp”), Danish læspe (“to lisp”), Swedish läspa (“to lisp”).