What is the longest "symmetrical" word (it's spelled backward the same as forward)?

Question

FOR EXAMPLE: racecar, dud, poop... :)

Answer 1

The longest English single-word palindrome in common use is "redivider".

In the Oxford English Dictionary, "tattarrattat" (coined by James Joyce) is the longest palindromic word.

Single-word palindromes are equally interesting. Finnish has the longest single-word palindromes, with two entries: “saippuakivikauppias,” which means “soap stone dealer”; and “solutomaattimittaamotulos,” which means “the result from a measurement laboratory for tomatoes.” Depending on who you ask, “tattarrattat,” “kinnikinnik,” or “detartrated” is the longest single-word palindrome in English, though some would say these words are not really part of the English language, since they are contrived or almost never used. --http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=270

These might be of interest to you too, as they are the longest "word palindromes":

http://www.norvig.com/pal1txt.html (15,139 words)
http://www.norvig.com/pal2txt.html (17,259 words)

A guy named Peter Norvig created these palindromes using computer scripts and algorithms.

Answer 2

The longest palindromic word in the Oxford English Dictionary is tattarrattat, coined by James Joyce in Ulysses for a knock on the door. The Guinness Book of Records gives detartrated, the past tense of detartrate, a somewhat contrived chemical term meaning to remove tartrates. Rotavator, a trademarked name for an agricultural machine, is often listed in dictionaries. The term redivider (i.e. someone or something that redivides) is used by some writers but appears to be an invented term - only redivide and redivision appear in the "Shorter Oxford Dictionary". Malayalam, an Indian language, is of equal length.

Answer 3

It's called a palindrome. Racecar was the longest one I knew. There are sentences, though - there's one about Panama...

Answer 4

Here is a phrase:
Doc Note: I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod

some words:
madam, eye, kayak, redivider, level, did, repooper, redder

Answer 5

It's more of a phrase: Ten animals I slam in a net.

Answer 6

i think these "symmetrical" words are called palindromes.

i only know onee.
kayak.

Answer 7

well racecar is actually two words- minim maybe?

Answer 8

well it's not the longest but no one else has said it.
A toyota

Answer 9

long words
detartrated
Aibohphobia
or can be phrases
Dammit I'm mad
Lonely Tylenol

Answer 10

They're called pallendromes.

redivider