I ate my dinner in a diner...

February 22, 2012 7:39 AM

What words become different words when you double a letter?

Can't believe I'm burning a question on this, but I can't think of any good way to search for a list of these. I'd like to know what words in English become other perfectly cromulent English words when you double one of the letters. So, for example:

super --> supper
diner --> dinner
desert --> dessert

Is there a name for these? If not, and if there's no definitive list anywhere, please help me think of other examples.

posted by MsMolly to Writing & Language (34 answers total)

lop --> loop
cop --> coop
bop --> boop
shop --> shoop (ok fine, that one is a stretch)
posted by Grither at 7:43 AM on February 22, 2012

just because:

a --> aa
posted by mizrachi at 7:43 AM on February 22, 2012 [5 favorites]

lose -> loose
posted by machine at 7:44 AM on February 22, 2012 [5 favorites]

later --> latter
lader --> ladder
mater --> matter (another stretch, I'm guessing different languages don't count?)
posted by Grither at 7:44 AM on February 22, 2012

I don't know what this is called, but here's a complete list of them generated from the Scrabble dictionary (C# code).
posted by 0xFCAF at 7:45 AM on February 22, 2012 [16 favorites]

tater - tatter
doted - dotted
posted by asockpuppet at 7:45 AM on February 22, 2012

hater -> hatter
waded -> wadded
lot -> loot

In general, single syllable words ending in t and d are a good first guess.
posted by jeather at 7:46 AM on February 22, 2012

bared - barred
stared - starred
stop - stoop
posted by asockpuppet at 7:46 AM on February 22, 2012

mate - matte
late - latte
posted by pluot at 7:49 AM on February 22, 2012

Here's the full list using only words that would be considered common (some of these are just alternate spellings, of course):

ad -> add
ads -> adds
anted -> anteed
anviled -> anvilled
anviling -> anvilling
appal -> appall
appals -> appalls
appareled -> apparelled
appareling -> apparelling
as -> ass
baled -> balled
baling -> balling
baned -> banned
bared -> barred
baring -> barring
barreled -> barrelled
barreling -> barrelling
bated -> batted
bating -> batting
bayoneted -> bayonetted
bayoneting -> bayonetting
be -> bee
belied -> bellied
belies -> bellies
below -> bellow
belows -> bellows
belying -> bellying
benefited -> benefitted
benefiting -> benefitting
bet -> beet
bets -> beets
beveled -> bevelled
beveling -> bevelling
biased -> biassed
biasing -> biassing
biding -> bidding
bled -> bleed
bob -> boob
bobs -> boobs
both -> booth
bras -> brass
bred -> breed
bus -> buss
bused -> bussed
busheled -> bushelled
busheling -> bushelling
busing -> bussing
but -> butt
buts -> butts
canceled -> cancelled
canceling -> cancelling
caned -> canned
canvas -> canvass
canvased -> canvassed
canvasing -> canvassing
caped -> capped
cares -> caress
caroled -> carolled
caroling -> carolling
carton -> cartoon
cartons -> cartoons
caucused -> caucussed
caucusing -> caucussing
chafed -> chaffed
chafing -> chaffing
chagrined -> chagrinned
channeled -> channelled
channeling -> channelling
chili -> chilli
chilies -> chillies
chilis -> chillis
chiseled -> chiselled
chiseling -> chiselling
chorused -> chorussed
chorusing -> chorussing
chose -> choose
coding -> codding
coed -> cooed
coked -> cooked
coking -> cooking
col -> cool
coma -> comma
comas -> commas
combated -> combatted
combating -> combatting
commander -> commandeer
commanders -> commandeers
cop -> coop
coped -> cooped
coped -> copped
coping -> cooping
coping -> copping
cops -> coops
coral -> corral
corals -> corrals
councilor -> councillor
councilors -> councillors
counseled -> counselled
counseling -> counselling
counselor -> counsellor
counselors -> counsellors
crueler -> crueller
cruelest -> cruellest
cuter -> cutter
desert -> dessert
deviled -> devilled
deviling -> devilling
diagramed -> diagrammed
diagraming -> diagramming
dialed -> dialled
dialing -> dialling
dialings -> diallings
dimer -> dimmer
dined -> dinned
diner -> dinner
diners -> dinners
dis -> diss
disheveled -> dishevelled
disheveling -> dishevelling
distil -> distill
distils -> distills
doled -> dolled
doling -> dolling
domed -> doomed
doming -> dooming
doted -> dotted
doting -> dotting
driveled -> drivelled
driveling -> drivelling
drop -> droop
drops -> droops
dueled -> duelled
dueling -> duelling
duly -> dully
enameled -> enamelled
enameling -> enamelling
enrol -> enroll
enrolment -> enrollment
enrolments -> enrollments
enrols -> enrolls
enthral -> enthrall
enthrals -> enthralls
equaled -> equalled
equaling -> equalling
er -> err
eviler -> eviller
evilest -> evillest
extol -> extoll
extols -> extolls
faceted -> facetted
faceting -> facetting
fagot -> faggot
fagoted -> faggoted
fagots -> faggots
fed -> feed
feds -> feeds
fezes -> fezzes
fiber -> fibber
fibers -> fibbers
filed -> filled
filing -> filling
focused -> focussed
focusing -> focussing
fogy -> foggy
friz -> frizz
fueled -> fuelled
fueling -> fuelling
funneled -> funnelled
funneling -> funnelling
fury -> furry
fused -> fussed
fusing -> fussing
gal -> gall
gals -> galls
ged -> geed
go -> goo
god -> good
gods -> goods
gossiped -> gossipped
gossiping -> gossipping
graveled -> gravelled
graveling -> gravelling
griped -> gripped
griping -> gripping
grove -> groove
groveled -> grovelled
groveling -> grovelling
groves -> grooves
grueled -> gruelled
grueling -> gruelling
guerilla -> guerrilla
hated -> hatted
hating -> hatting
hiccuped -> hiccupped
hiccuping -> hiccupping
his -> hiss
hokey -> hookey
hokier -> hookier
hokiest -> hookiest
holy -> holly
hop -> hoop
hoped -> hooped
hoped -> hopped
hoping -> hooping
hoping -> hopping
hops -> hoops
hosteled -> hostelled
hosteling -> hostelling
hot -> hoot
huger -> hugger
imperiled -> imperilled
imperiling -> imperilling
in -> inn
inbred -> inbreed
inbreds -> inbreeds
initialed -> initialled
initialing -> initialling
ins -> inns
instal -> install
instalment -> installment
instalments -> installments
instals -> installs
instil -> instill
instils -> instills
jeweled -> jewelled
jeweler -> jeweller
jewelers -> jewellers
jeweling -> jewelling
ken -> keen
kenneled -> kennelled
kenneling -> kennelling
kidnaped -> kidnapped
kidnaping -> kidnapping
later -> latter
leafleted -> leafletted
leafleting -> leafletting
les -> less
liter -> litter
liters -> litters
lobed -> lobbed
lop -> loop
loped -> looped
loped -> lopped
loping -> looping
loping -> lopping
lops -> loops
lose -> loose
loser -> looser
loses -> looses
losing -> loosing
lot -> loot
lots -> loots
marshaled -> marshalled
marshaling -> marshalling
marveled -> marvelled
marveling -> marvelling
marvelous -> marvellous
mas -> mass
mat -> matt
mate -> matte
mated -> matted
mates -> mattes
mating -> matting
mats -> matts
medalist -> medallist
medalists -> medallists
met -> meet
meting -> meeting
mo -> moo
mod -> mood
modeled -> modelled
modeling -> modelling
mon -> moon
mons -> moons
moped -> mopped
moping -> mopping
mos -> moos
mos -> moss
mouse -> mousse
moused -> moussed
mousing -> moussing
muled -> mulled
muling -> mulling
mused -> mussed
musing -> mussing
muter -> mutter
needles -> needless
nonplused -> nonplussed
nonplusing -> nonplussing
nose -> noose
noses -> nooses
od -> odd
ods -> odds
of -> off
overate -> overrate
pal -> pall
paled -> palled
paling -> palling
pals -> palls
paneled -> panelled
paneling -> panelling
parceled -> parcelled
parceling -> parcelling
pared -> parred
paring -> parring
pas -> pass
paved -> paveed
pedaled -> pedalled
pedaling -> pedalling
penciled -> pencilled
penciling -> pencilling
pep -> peep
peps -> peeps
per -> peer
periled -> perilled
periling -> perilling
pined -> pinned
pis -> piss
planed -> planned
poled -> pooled
poled -> polled
poling -> pooling
poling -> polling
pop -> poop
pops -> poops
pose -> posse
poses -> possess
poses -> possess
primer -> primmer
princes -> princess
prof -> proof
profs -> proofs
programed -> programmed
programing -> programming
pummeled -> pummelled
pummeling -> pummelling
pure -> puree
pus -> puss
put -> putt
puts -> putts
quarreled -> quarrelled
quarreling -> quarrelling
rabies -> rabbies
racoon -> raccoon
raged -> ragged
raped -> rapped
raping -> rapping
rated -> ratted
rating -> ratting
raveled -> ravelled
raveling -> ravelling
razed -> razzed
razed -> razeed
razes -> razzes
razing -> razzing
reading -> readding
red -> reed
reds -> reeds
ref -> reef
refed -> reffed
refs -> reefs
refueled -> refuelled
refueling -> refuelling
remodeled -> remodelled
remodeling -> remodelling
reposes -> repossess
reposes -> repossess
reprogramed -> reprogrammed
reprograming -> reprogramming
reveled -> revelled
reveler -> reveller
revelers -> revellers
reveling -> revelling
ricocheted -> ricochetted
ricocheting -> ricochetting
riding -> ridding
riped -> ripped
riper -> ripper
riping -> ripping
rivaled -> rivalled
rivaling -> rivalling
riveted -> rivetted
riveting -> rivetting
robed -> robbed
robing -> robbing
rom -> room
roster -> rooster
rosters -> roosters
rot -> root
rots -> roots
ruder -> rudder
sager -> sagger
salon -> saloon
salons -> saloons
scared -> scarred
scaring -> scarring
schlep -> schlepp
schleps -> schlepps
scoped -> scooped
scoping -> scooping
scraped -> scrapped
scraping -> scrapping
sen -> seen
shamed -> shammed
shaming -> shamming
shined -> shinned
shiny -> shinny
shoed -> shooed
shot -> shoot
shots -> shoots
shoveled -> shovelled
shoveling -> shovelling
shriveled -> shrivelled
shriveling -> shrivelling
signaled -> signalled
signaling -> signalling
siting -> sitting
sloped -> slopped
sloping -> slopping
smother -> smoother
sniped -> snipped
sniping -> snipping
son -> soon
spared -> sparred
sparing -> sparring
sped -> speed
spiraled -> spiralled
spiraling -> spiralling
spited -> spitted
spiting -> spitting
squirreled -> squirrelled
squirreling -> squirrelling
staled -> stalled
staling -> stalling
stared -> starred
staring -> starring
stenciled -> stencilled
stenciling -> stencilling
step -> steep
steps -> steeps
stop -> stoop
stops -> stoops
striped -> stripped
striping -> stripping
super -> supper
supers -> suppers
swiveled -> swivelled
swiveling -> swivelling
taped -> tapped
taping -> tapping
tasseled -> tasselled
tasseling -> tasselling
taxing -> taxiing
teetotaler -> teetotaller
teetotalers -> teetotallers
ten -> teen
tens -> teens
the -> thee
tiled -> tilled
tiling -> tilling
tinier -> tinnier
tiniest -> tinniest
tinseled -> tinselled
tinseling -> tinselling
tiny -> tinny
to -> too
tone -> tonne
tones -> tonnes
tot -> toot
totaled -> totalled
totaling -> totalling
toted -> tooted
toting -> tooting
tots -> toots
toweled -> towelled
toweling -> towelling
tranquiler -> tranquiller
tranquilest -> tranquillest
tranquility -> tranquillity
traveled -> travelled
traveler -> traveller
travelers -> travellers
traveling -> travelling
troweled -> trowelled
troweling -> trowelling
tunneled -> tunnelled
tunneling -> tunnelling
twined -> twinned
unbiased -> unbiassed
unequaled -> unequalled
unraveled -> unravelled
unraveling -> unravelling
unrivaled -> unrivalled
wading -> wadding
waged -> wagged
wagon -> waggon
wagons -> waggons
water -> watter
we -> wee
weaseled -> weaselled
weaseling -> weaselling
wed -> weed
weds -> weeds
west -> weest
whir -> whirr
whirs -> whirrs
whiz -> whizz
woolen -> woollen
woolens -> woollens
woolier -> woollier
woolies -> woollies
wooliest -> woolliest
wooly -> woolly
worshiped -> worshipped
worshiper -> worshipper
worshipers -> worshippers
worshiping -> worshipping
yodeled -> yodelled
yodeling -> yodelling
posted by 0xFCAF at 7:50 AM on February 22, 2012 [9 favorites]

Way to ruin the fun, OxFCAF!
posted by Grither at 7:53 AM on February 22, 2012 [9 favorites]

Don't worry, I just realized there's a bug! The program misses words that double one instance of a letter, but not all of them (i.e. if dider and didder were both words, that was missed because it doesn't think ddidder is a word). I have to go to work instead of fix it, so you can continue with the challenge under the new restriction.
posted by 0xFCAF at 7:57 AM on February 22, 2012

discus - discuss
finish - Finnish
posted by griphus at 7:57 AM on February 22, 2012

Also, if 0xFCAF is working from a Scrabble wordlist, he'll be missing proper nouns.
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:08 AM on February 22, 2012

Nicce Coode, 0xFCAFF
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 8:09 AM on February 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

0xFCAF, your list also doesn't necessarily give pairs where each word is a different word, if by "different word" we mean "a string of characters that has a different meaning than another string of characters." There are many that are just spelling variants of each other.
posted by Mo Nickels at 8:12 AM on February 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

canon - cannon
posted by cobaltnine at 8:20 AM on February 22, 2012

title -> tittle (i.e., the little dot over letters i and j.)
posted by CutaneousRabbit at 8:28 AM on February 22, 2012

laten->lateen
mar->maar
nan->naan
bas->baas
bare->barre
posted by univac at 8:42 AM on February 22, 2012

Don't know what they all mean but they work in Wordplay.
posted by univac at 8:42 AM on February 22, 2012

titer -> titter
liter -> litter
gable -> gabble
posted by Sidhedevil at 10:47 AM on February 22, 2012

humus -> hummus
posted by CutaneousRabbit at 11:58 AM on February 22, 2012

set -> sett
posted by Bodd at 12:11 PM on February 22, 2012

go > goo > good > goody
posted by k8lin at 12:24 PM on February 22, 2012

halo -> hallo?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 1:25 PM on February 22, 2012

"I want some mo' milk from that "moo" over yonder."

*Ahem*
posted by DisreputableDog at 2:01 PM on February 22, 2012

pated -> patted
posted by doctor_negative at 2:14 PM on February 22, 2012

bevy -> bevvy
posted by doctor_negative at 2:16 PM on February 22, 2012

poted -> potted
posted by doctor_negative at 2:19 PM on February 22, 2012

Way to ruin the fun, OxFCAF!
Grither, that's exactly what I was thinking.

And then the MeFites beat the code!

pet -> peet
posted by BlueHorse at 2:51 PM on February 22, 2012

anal->annal
posted by SuzySmith at 3:20 AM on February 23, 2012

More programmatic spoiling of fun...

I took this extensive, but UK, list of words, removed anything containing capital letters or spaces to get rid of proper nouns and multi-word combinations, and ran a little script on it.

A little script, but it needed to run for a long time.

The resulting list is here.

Most of them seem to be alternate spellings, but there are some fun ones like:

as --> ass
anal --> annal

I don't know what such words are called, but since I had to call my list of them something I christened them dopplers.

A snippet of Python code can be found here.
posted by philipy at 3:07 PM on February 23, 2012

Some more good ones from the list...

As noted already, as --> ass, but continuing the theme: asses --> assess.

And...

billionaires --> billionairess
biter --> bitter
bob --> boob
bots --> boots
buses --> busses

I'll leave it there, so you can either have fun thinking up more, or go look at the list.

I found a good North American word list, so maybe I'll run that later too.
posted by philipy at 3:30 PM on February 23, 2012

Here's the list generated from the North American word list.

And some improved Python code that is vastly faster, on account of using a hash to look up the maybe-words instead of a list.
posted by philipy at 8:14 PM on February 23, 2012