lipogram: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical (literary/linguistic), formal
Quick answer
What does “lipogram” mean?
A piece of writing that deliberately avoids using one or more letters of the alphabet.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A piece of writing that deliberately avoids using one or more letters of the alphabet.
A literary constraint or formal technique in which a text is composed without including a specific letter or letters. Often used in literature, puzzles, or games to demonstrate creative challenge.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Same technical/literary connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialist in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “lipogram” in a Sentence
lipogram (on/in) {letter}lipogram (of) {letter}lipogram (without) {letter}Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lipogram” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He attempted to lipogrammatise his novel by omitting the letter 'e'.
- The challenge was to lipogram the entire chapter.
American English
- She lipogrammed her poem, avoiding all vowels.
- To lipogram a text requires immense concentration.
adverb
British English
- He wrote lipogrammatically, eschewing the commonest letter.
- The novel was composed lipogrammatically.
American English
- She constructed the sentence lipogrammatically.
- Writing lipogrammatically is a formidable task.
adjective
British English
- The lipogrammatic text was surprisingly fluid.
- He admired her lipogrammatic skill.
American English
- It was a lipogrammatic masterpiece.
- The lipogrammatic constraint forced creative word choice.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in literary studies, creative writing, or linguistics to discuss formal constraints and experimental literature.
Everyday
Extremely rare, only among enthusiasts of word games or literary puzzles.
Technical
Used in linguistics to describe texts with self-imposed phonetic/graphemic limitations.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lipogram”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “lipogram”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lipogram”
- Confusing it with 'pangram' (a sentence using all letters).
- Incorrect pronunciation: /laɪpəɡræm/ (it's /ˈlɪpə/).
- Using it as a verb ('to lipogram' is very rare and not standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The novel 'Gadsby' (1939) by Ernest Vincent Wright, written entirely without the letter 'e', is the most cited example.
No, it is a highly specialised term used primarily in literary analysis, creative writing circles, and linguistic discussions.
Yes, while many lipograms avoid a single letter (often 'e'), the constraint can be extended to omit multiple letters, making the composition significantly more challenging.
A pangram is the opposite—a sentence or piece of writing that uses every letter of the alphabet at least once. The classic example is 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.'
A piece of writing that deliberately avoids using one or more letters of the alphabet.
Lipogram is usually technical (literary/linguistic), formal in register.
Lipogram: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɪpə(ʊ)ɡræm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɪpəˌɡræm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: LIPO = LIP (something missing) + GRAM = writing. A writing with something (a letter) missing.
Conceptual Metaphor
WRITING IS A CONTAINER FROM WHICH ELEMENTS ARE REMOVED.
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining feature of a lipogram?