A semordnilap is a word that spells a different word when read backward, such as stops and pots.

The longer version

The name is simply palindromes spelled backward, which is exactly the trick it describes: reverse the letters of one word and a different, perfectly ordinary word falls out. Stops becomes pots, drawer becomes reward, and neither member of the pair is a palindrome, because reversal changes the meaning instead of preserving it.

Longer matches are prized, such as stressed and desserts, where both halves are normal words. The phenomenon is really an accident of English spelling rather than a designed feature, since pronunciation rarely survives the flip. Anagram puzzles work by rearranging letters instead, so the two are often confused by casual readers.

Where this entry sits

This category gathers small surprises about the English language, from odd spelling rules to words that quietly hide their own history. Expect palindromes, punctuation oddities, borrowed terms, and the strange ways writing systems record spoken speech. The full list sits on the Words and Language page, where every entry is listed in order.