Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

namby-pamby

/nˈæmbipˈæmbi/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.54 in modern English

Syllables
nam-by--pam-by
IPA
/nˈæmbipˈæmbi/
26
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
5
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Insipid and sentimental.

noun

One who is insipid, sentimental, or weak.

verb

To coddle.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From the poem Namby-Pamby (1726) by Henry Carey, a satire on the sentimental pastorals of the poet Ambrose Phillips.

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce namby-pamby?
The recorded pronunciation is /nˈæmbipˈæmbi/.
What does namby-pamby mean?
Insipid and sentimental.
Where does namby-pamby come from?
From the poem Namby-Pamby (1726) by Henry Carey, a satire on the sentimental pastorals of the poet Ambrose Phillips.

How to pronounce namby-pamby

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “namby-pamby”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/nˈæmbipˈæmbi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “namby-pamby”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “namby-pamby” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.