Main Entry: ¹an·a·gram

Pronunciation: \ˈa-nə-ˌgram\

Function: noun

Etymology: probably from Middle French anagramme, from New Latin anagrammat-, anagramma, modification of Greek anagrammatismos, from anagrammatizein to transpose letters, from ana- + grammat-, gramma letter — more at gram

Date: 1589

1 : a word or phrase made by transposing the letters of another word or phrase
2 plural but sing in constr : a game in which words are formed by rearranging the letters of other words or by arranging letters taken (as from a stock of cards or blocks) at random

— an·a·gram·mat·ic \ˌa-nə-grə-ˈma-tik\ also an·a·gram·mat·i·cal \-ti-kəl\ adjective

— an·a·gram·mat·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb