:List of English palindromic phrases

A palindrome is a word, number, phrase, or other sequence of symbols that reads the same backwards as forwards, such as the sentence: "A man, a plan, a canal – Panama". Following is a list of palindromic phrases of two or more words in the English language, found in multiple independent collections of palindromic phrases.

As late as 1821, The New Monthly Magazine reported that there was only one known palindrome in the English language: "Lewd did I live, & evil did I dwel (sic)"."On Palindromes", The New Monthly Magazine [https://books.google.com/books?id=vP2YF5SEn9UC&pg=PA172&lpg=PA172 2:170-173] (July–December 1821) In the following centuries, many more English palindromes were constructed. For many long-attested or well-known palindromes, authorship can not be determined, although a number can tentatively be attributed to a handful of prolific palindrome creators.Howard W. Bergerson, Palindromes and Anagrams (1973), [https://books.google.com/books?id=pVFD9fffTh8C&pg=PA82 p. 82-90]. Because of the popularity of palindromes as a form of word play, a number of sources have collected and listed popular palindromes,Michael Donner, I Love Me, Vol. I: S. Wordrow's Palidrome Encyclopedia (1996).Rod L. Evans, Tyrannosaurus Lex: The Marvelous Book of Palindromes, Anagrams, and Other Delightful and Outrageous Wordplay (2012), p. 25-29.Richard Lederer, The Word Circus: A Letter-perfect Book (1998), p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=wHlHFp9zG1wC&pg=PA82 82-87].Ursula Dubosarsky, The Word Snoop: A Wild and Witty Tour of the English Language (2009), p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=uUluOll8dKwC&pg=PT69 69-71].A. J. Augarde, Tony Augarde, The Oxford Guide to Word Games (Oxford University Press, 1986), p. 101."'Truth' Puzzle (No. 55). Assorted Specimens-Good, and Otherwise", Truth, Vol. 7 (1880), p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=lKc6AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA317 317-318]. and palindrome-constructing contests have been held.{{cite web|url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2013/03/06/madam-im-adam-palindrome-masters-go-head-to-head-in-championship/ | title=Madam, I'm Adam: Palindrome Masters Go Head to Head in Championship|first1=Katy|last1=Steinmetz|publisher=Time Magazine|date=March 6, 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/wordplay-stressed-no-tips-spit-on-desserts-the-art-of-the-palindrome-20160926-groi8p.html |title=Wordplay: Stressed? No tips? Spit on desserts: the art of the palindrome|first1=David|last1=Astle|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=September 27, 2016}}

Notable palindromic phrases in English

class="wikitable sortable" ! scope="col" \| Palindrome ! scope="col" \| Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Source(s)
Able was I ere I saw Elba	Fancifully attributed to Napoleon, who was exiled to Elba.	{{cite web \| date = 1866 \| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-IMAAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22ere+i+saw+elba%22+date:1865-1866&pg=PA439 \| title = Tormenting the Alphabet \| first1= Hugh \| last1= Evans \| work = The Galaxy, Vol. 1 \| accessdate = 2007-10-03}} Digital version: {{cite book \| last = Twain \| first = Mark \| title = The Galaxy, Vol. 1 \| orig-date = 1866 \| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=alsAAAAAYAAJ \| format = PDF \| accessdate = 2007-10-03 \| date = March 19, 2007 \| publisher = W.C. and F.P. Church (original) \| pages = 755 pp}}
A dog! A panic in a pagoda!	{{efn\|name=Weird Al\|group=N\|Appears as a lyric in the "Weird Al" Yankovic song, "Bob".}}	Elinor Miller, A Banner Handbook for Homeschoolers (2009), p. 76.{{rp\|16}}
Ah, Satan sees Natasha	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
A man, a plan, a canal – Panama!	Devised by Leigh Mercer, a noted British word play expert.A. Ross Eckler: Leigh Mercer, Palindromist. In: Word Ways. Volume 24, Issue 3, 1991, Article 2, p. 131–138 [https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/wordways/vol24/iss3/2/].Published in Notes and Queries, 13 Nov. 1948, according to The Yale Book of Quotations, F. R. Shapiro, ed. (2006, {{ISBN\|0-300-10798-6}}).	{{Cite web\|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/05/11/its-51115-happy-palindrome-week.html\|title=It's 5/11/15: Happy palindrome week!\|publisher=Toronto Star\|first1=Lauren\|last1=Pelley\|date=May 11, 2015}}{{Cite web\|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/2022/02/22/palindrome-date-2-22-22-auspicious-time-many/6831610001/\|title=It's Twosday! 5 special ways to celebrate 2/22/22 in Greater Columbus\|first=Ryan E.\|last=Smith\|website=The Columbus Dispatch\|date=February 22, 2022}}Joel Sherzer, Speech Play and Verbal Art (2010), p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=NytMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA71 71].David Fuhrer, Marvin Silbermintz, Backwords: The Secret Language of Talking Backwards (2007), [https://books.google.com/books?id=oEHau0e7h0sC&pg=PA64 p. 64].
A Toyota or A Toyota's a Toyota	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	Hemant Katara, The Doormat Of English (2021), p. 109-111."[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111966634/the-charlotte-observer/ Palindromes make sense from both directions]", The Charlotte Observer (May 17, 2002), p. 2A.
Dennis sinned or Dennis and Edna sinned	Numerous variations insert additional names.
Doc, note: I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod	Written by mathematician Peter Hilton	{{cite news \|date=10 November 2010 \|title=Professor Peter Hilton \|newspaper=Daily Telegraph \|location=London \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/8124447/Professor-Peter-Hilton.html \|access-date=30 April 2011}}Martin Gardner, Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles Paradoxes And Problems (2001), p. 26-27.
Do geese see God?	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	Richard Elliott, Michael Bull, The Sound of Nonsense (2017), p. 75.Randall E. Auxier, Douglas R. Anderson, Bruce Springsteen and Philosophy: Darkness on the Edge of Truth (2011), p. 90.
Do nine men Interpret? Nine men I nod	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Drab as a fool, aloof as a bard or Drab as a fool, as aloof as a bard		José Vergara, All Future Plunges to the Past: James Joyce in Russian (2021), p. 143, n. 84.
Draw, o coward!		David Crystal, [https://books.google.com/books?id=yTgi2Kn5VBIC&pg=PA67 Language Play] (2001), p. 67-68.
Egad, a base tone denotes a bad age	{{efn\|name=Giants\|group=N\|Appears as a lyric in the They Might Be Giants song, "I Palindrome I".}}	{{rp\|114}}
God, a red nugget, a fat egg under a dog	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	Alex Horne, Wordwatching: One Man's Quest for Linguistic Immortality (2011), p. 11.
Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}} Coined by musician Baby Gramps.	{{Cite web\|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/88075-q-a-with-jon-agee.html\|title=Q & A with Jon Agee\|first=Libby\|last=Morse\|website=PublishersWeekly.com}}
I, man, am Regal, a German am I	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
If I had a hi-fi	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Lewd did I live & evil I did dwel; or Lewd did I live, evil I did dwel	Coined by poet John Taylor, in 1614.
Lid off a daffodil
Lived on decaf, faced no devil
Lisa Bonet ate no basil	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	{{Cite web\|url=https://www.avclub.com/birthday-boy-bob-dylan-has-inspired-a-lot-of-parodies-o-1798247693 \|title=Birthday boy Bob Dylan has inspired a lot of parodies over the years\|first1=Joe\|last1=Blevins\|date=May 24, 2016\|website=The A.V. Club}}
Lonely Tylenol	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	{{Cite web\|url=https://www.gcdailyworld.com/blogs/2044/entry/73635\|title='Lived on decaf, faced no devil,' It's palindrome time again!\|date=August 23, 2019\|website=Greene County Daily World}}
Madam, I'm Adam	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}} Fancifully attributed to the biblical figure, Adam.
Ma is as selfless as I am	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
May a moody baby doom a yam?	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Mr. Owl ate my metal worm		Kelley Dos Santos Kremer, Thinking Games and Activities: Making Critical Thinking Fun for the Classroom (2011), p. 18.
Name now one man or Name no one man
Naomi, I moan or Naomi, did I moan? or Naomi, sex at noon taxes I moan.	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Never odd or even	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
No lemons, no melon or No lemon, no melon	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
No one made killer apparel like Dame Noon.	Coined by palindromist Jon Agee.
No devil lived on	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Not a banana baton	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Now I see bees, I won	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	Betty G. Birney, Surprises According to Humphrey (2009), p. 143."Guardian Comic: Backwards and Forwards", The Guardian (December 13, 2008), p. 2.
No X in Nixon or No X in Mr. R. M. Nixon	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	{{rp\|237}}
Nurse, I spy gypsies, run!	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	{{rp\|101}}
O Geronimo, no minor ego	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Oh no! Don Ho!	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
O, stone, be not so	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Pa's a sap	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Pull up if I pull up.
Race car
Race fast, safe car	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Rats live on no evil star	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Rise to vote, sir	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas.		{{Cite web\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/27/can-you-solve-it-toot-toot-for-world-palindrome-day\|title=Can you solve it? Toot toot for world palindrome day!\|first=Alex\|last=Bellos\|date=January 27, 2020\|via=The Guardian}}{{Cite web\|url=https://www.premierguitar.com/gear/dwarfcraft-devices-satan-oscillate-my-metallic-sonatas-pedal-review\|title=Dwarfcraft Devices Satan Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas Pedal Review - Premier Guitar}}Irvine, W. (1987). Madam I'm Adam and Other Palindromes. United Kingdom: Scribner's.
Senile felines	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Sir, I'm Iris
Sit on a potato pan, Otis!
Step on no pets
T. Eliot, top bard, notes putrid tang emanating, is sad; I'd assign it a name: gnat dirt upset on drab pot toilet.	Written by Scottish poet Alastair Reid.	Brendan Gill, published in Here At The New Yorker, (1997, {{ISBN\|0-306-80810-2}}).
Stop pots
Too bad I hid a boot	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	{{rp\|367}}
Too hot to hoot	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
UFO tofu	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}} Title of the 1992 Béla Fleck and the Flecktones album, UFO Tofu.	William Shurtleff, Akiko Aoyagi, History of Tofu and Tofu Products (965 CE to 2013) (2013), p. 1510.
Warsaw was raw	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	{{rp\|381}}Kevin Young, David Lehman, The Best American Poetry 2011 (2011), p. xii.
Was it a cat I saw or Was it a car or a cat I saw?	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}} Many variations of the middle word(s) are possible.	{{rp\|381}}
We panic in a pew	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}	{{rp\|384}}
Won't lovers revolt now?	{{efn\|name=Weird Al}}
Zeus sees Suez or Zeus saw 'twas Suez

:List of English palindromic phrases

Notable palindromic phrases in English

See also

Notes

References

External links