lisp

1 of 3

verb

ˈlisp 

lisped; lisping; lisps

intransitive verb

1

: to pronounce the sibilants \s\ and \z\ imperfectly especially by turning them into \th\ and \t͟h\

2

: to speak falteringly, childishly, or with a lisp

transitive verb

: to utter falteringly or with a lisp

lisper noun

lisp

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

: a speech defect or affectation characterized by lisping

2

: a sound resembling a lisp

LISP

3 of 3

noun (2)

ˈlisp 

: a computer programming language that is designed for easy manipulation of symbols that represent data and instructions and is used extensively for work in artificial intelligence

Examples of lisp in a Sentence

Noun (1)

He spoke with a lisp.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Max Cadillac aces his biggest Moonlight role to date as Roger’s lisping common-law assistant Carmen Ghia. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2019

Paul Shaffer cackled from behind a keyboard in shades; baritoned redhead Alan Kalter introduced guests; there were videos of stupid pet tricks and a befuddled, lisping Larry Bud Melman. —John Clarke, HWD, 23 Oct. 2017

Cera is also doing a fun lisping impression of Brando while ponderously spouting off garbled nods to the actor’s filmography. —Joanna Robinson, HWD, 23 May 2017

One of the little girls handed her a copy to inscribe and lisped her name. —Mary Norris, The New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2017

Noun

Inexplicably, actor Matthew Maher plays Moore with a lisp. —oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023

The lisp slowly began to recede. —Daniel A. Gross, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2022

This is because Scooby’s rhotic replacement goes deeper than something like a lisp. —Kyle Hill, Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2014

The show begins with young Mike (Zaiden James) growing up in a rough Brooklyn neighborhood, where he gets picked on by other kids for his lisp and weight. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 27 Aug. 2022

Ramos, who killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde last month, was said to have been bullied over a lisp and stutter. —Tim Meko, Washington Post, 3 June 2022

Ramos was bullied for having a stutter and a strong lisp, friends and family told the Washington Post. —Scott Travis, Anchorage Daily News, 29 May 2022

Her lisp was also due to the overbite, the reality TV star said. —Naledi Ushe, PEOPLE.com, 7 Sep. 2021

Phil picks up immediately on Peter's vulnerabilities — the boy has placed handmade paper flowers on every table, and speaks with a telltale lisp — and runs with them, a bully a who loves nothing better than a target and an audience. —Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 7 Sep. 2021

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Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English -wlyspian; akin to Old High German lispen to lisp

Noun (2)

list processing

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1959, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lisp

1 of 2 verb

ˈlisp 

: to pronounce the sounds \s\ and \z\ in an imperfect way by giving them the sounds of \th\ and \t͟h\

lisper noun

lisp

2 of 2 noun

: the act or habit of lisping

Medical Definition

lisp

1 of 2 intransitive verb

ˈlisp 

1

: to pronounce the sibilants \s\ and \z\ imperfectly especially by giving them the sounds \th\ and \t͟h\

2

: to speak with a lisp

transitive verb

: to utter with a lisp

lisp

2 of 2 noun

: a speech defect or affectation characterized by lisping