spencer
/ˈspɛnsɚ/
noun
Common
1.n.English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (1820-1903)
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spencer and spender differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. spencer means “English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (1820-1903)”. spender means “English poet and critic (1909-1995)”. spencer is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈspɛnsɚ/
1.n.English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (1820-1903)
/ˈspɛndɚ/
| spencer | spender | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈspɛnsɚ/ | /ˈspɛndɚ/ |
| Said | SPEN-sur | SPEN-dur |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 7 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 1 | 3 |
| How common | Common | Familiar |
| Synonyms | Herbert Spencer | Stephen Spender, Sir Stephen Harold Spender |
Full entry for spencer · Full entry for spender · More comparisons
2.n.someone who spends money prodigally
3.n.someone who spends money to purchase goods or services