lisp

¹ American  

[lisp] / lɪsp /

noun

1. Phonetics.

   1. the systematic articulation of s and z in a forward, dental position, like th- sounds, as a manifestation of a speech disorder or a stylistic affectation.

   2. any unconventional articulation of the sibilants, as the pronunciation of s and z with the tongue between the teeth lingual protrusion lisp, close to or touching the upper front teeth dental lisp, or raised so that the breath is emitted laterally lateral lisp.

2. the act, habit, or sound of lisping.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to pronounce or speak with a lisp.

2. to speak imperfectly, especially in a childish manner.

LISP ² American  

[lisp] / lɪsp /

noun

Computers.

1. a high-level programming language that processes data in the form of lists: widely used in artificial intelligence applications.

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lisp ¹ British  

/ lɪsp /

noun

1. the articulation of s and z like or nearly like the th sounds in English thin and then respectively

2. the habit or speech defect of pronouncing s and z in this manner

3. the sound of a lisp in pronunciation

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verb

1. to use a lisp in the pronunciation of (speech)

2. to speak or pronounce imperfectly or haltingly

LISP ² British  

/ lɪsp /

noun

1. a high-level computer-programming language suitable for work in artificial intelligence

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Other Word Forms

• lisper noun
• lisping adjective
• lispingly adverb
• unlisping adjective

Etymology

Origin of lisp¹

First recorded before 1100; Middle English wlispen, lipsen, Old English āwlyspian; akin to Dutch lisp(el)en, German lispeln, Norwegian leipsa

Origin of LISP²

lis(t) p(rocessing)

Example Sentences

"I'm a lot better. I do have a bit of a lisp. But apart from that, the tiredness is still a very big issue," she says.

From BBC

The childhood lisp I thought I’d outgrown came roaring back like it had been waiting in the wings.

From Salon

And her voice ended up even having a little bit of a lisp at times.

From Los Angeles Times

Hezbollah played on the popularity of Nasrallah, a skilled orator who spoke with a lisp and would crack the occasional joke and use slang.

From Los Angeles Times

I spent time with him, I didn't hear a lisp.

From Salon