Phrase guide

slip of the pen

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A mistake in handwriting; (loosely) any minor error by the writer that made it into print, having not been caught by editors or proofreaders.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: writo; misprint; miswriting; typo

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lapsus calami, lapsus plumæ, writo, misprint, miswriting, typo

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: правописна грешка (pravopisna greška) — mistake in handwriting
  • Chinese Mandarin: 筆誤 /笔误 (bǐwù) — mistake in handwriting
  • Finnish: kirjoitusvirhe — mistake in handwriting
  • German: Schreibfehler — mistake in handwriting
  • Icelandic: pennaglöp — mistake in handwriting
  • Icelandic: ritvilla — mistake in handwriting
  • Icelandic: slæm ritvilla — mistake in handwriting
  • Latin: lapsus calami — mistake in handwriting
  • Norwegian Bokmål: skrivefeil — mistake in handwriting
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: skrivefeil — mistake in handwriting
  • Polish: literówka — mistake in handwriting
  • Russian: опи́ска (opíska) — mistake in handwriting
  • Vietnamese: viết nhịu — mistake in handwriting