non-word

Definition

Any sequence of sounds or letters which is not considered to be a word, whether through an accidental gap (for example, phextapher-styphren) or through a systematic gap (for example, fssstpklyitnbkdv).

Etymology

From non- + word.

Example Sentences

• "This linguistics textbook, like many others, precedes nonwords with an asterisk; for example, *narbletome."
• "[…] trashola prose features regular dollops of sub-literate laziness (including non-words like "arousement" and "assertation")."
• "In their glossary, they were using a convention where the words were in blue font and the abbreviations and other nonwords were in purple font."