emvowel

English edit

WOTD – 13 June 2010

Alternative forms edit

envowel

Etymology edit

By analogy with disembowel; attributed to Henry Fielding (1707-1754).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ɪmˈvaʊ.əl/
Audio (Southern England) (file)
Rhymes: -aʊəl

Verb edit

emvowel (third-person singular simple present emvowels, present participle emvowelling, simple past and past participle emvowelled)

(dated, humorous) To replace a portion of a person's name with a dash in printing, in order to avoid libel.