The W in answer and sword is silent. In answer, it is a hint that the word began as a sworn reply.
First, how do you pronounce them?
answer: AN-ser (in the UK, AHN-ser)
sword: SORD (rhymes with lord)
There is no W sound in either word.
The weird part
Look at the letters: A-N-S-W-E-R and S-W-O-R-D. Each one has an S followed by a W, and the W stays quiet.
spelling: answer, sword
sound: anser, sord
In some other words, you do say the W after an S: swim, swing, sweet. So the silent W in these two is a surprise.
Where does "answer" come from?
Answer goes back to Old English andswaru. It is made of two parts:
- and-, meaning "against"
- -swaru, linked to swerian, "to swear"
Etymonline suggests that, in the beginning, it meant a sworn statement made in reply to a charge. That is why answer has swear hiding inside it. Here, swear means making a serious promise, like swearing to tell the truth.
Later, it just meant a reply to a question.
Where does "sword" come from?
Sword has a simpler story. It comes from Old English sweord, and the W was in the spelling from the start. Today the W is still written, but it is not said.
Sword and answer are not family, even though both have a quiet W. They just ended up with the same kind of silent letter.
📌 Good to know
Swear itself keeps its W: you say it. Answer and sword are the ones where the W has gone quiet.
There are other words with a silent W too, such as the W in "two". Each one has its own story.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Don't say the W.
❌ AN-swer, SWAWRD
✅ AN-ser, SORD
Spelling by sound.
❌ anser, ansser, sord
✅ answer, sword
💬 In a Conversation
Sam: What is the answer?
Mia: It is a secret.
Sam: Why is there a W in answer?
Mia: It is hiding.
Sam: From who?
Mia: From anyone who tries to say it.
⏳ The OddLingo Timeline
Old English and- + swaru: a sworn reply
Old English sweord: "sword"
↓ both are written with a W
↓ the W stops being said
↓ today: spelled answer, sword, said AN-ser, SORD
🥡 The OddLingo Takeaway
A silent W can be a leftover, like a footprint from an older word. In answer, the W reminds us that an answer was once a sworn reply.
Say them without the W: AN-ser and SORD.