The spelling of /t/ is <t>, <tt>, <te>, or <th> in Thai. The /m/ sound is <m> or <mm> or <mb> in comb. Inflected forms with -s have been included even where not strictly minimal. See the discussion under "Problems" on the main page. Notice how the homograph tear makes pairs with mare and mere.
The contrast is between a voiceless plosive and a voiced nasal continuant, well separated in the mouth. It is not a problem for learners.
Taboo word pairs are but/bum, fart/farm, shitter/shimmer and shat/sham.
The pair tarry/marry is picked up in Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe in the Act I duet "If we're weak enough to tarry ere we marry, you and I", which also forms the main melody in the overture. Other interesting pairs include:
artery armoury
Blighty blimey
detention dimension
ecstasies Xmases
fattish famish
idiot idiom
Saturn salmon
talcum Malcolm
tartar martyr
tedium medium
terrier merrier
toddle model
The mean density value is 2.6%. The list makes 286 semantic distinctions, a loading of 51%.
Albert album art arm artery armoury arteries armouries arty army at am ate M attain amain attend amend attended amended attending amending attends amends Bart balm beat beam beats beams beating beaming Blighty blimey boot boom booting booming boots booms bruit broom bruits brooms brute broom brutes brooms but bum butt bum butting bumming butts bums cart calm carts calms carting calming carter calmer carter karma carters karmas cat cam cats cams caught corm chart charm charts charms charting charming charter charmer charters charmers clatter clamour clattered clamoured clattering clamouring clatters clamours coat comb coats combs coating combing coating coaming coatings coamings court corm courts corms cottar comma cottars commas cut come cutting coming cuttings comings cuts comes cutback comeback cutbacks comebacks cutter comer cutters comers date dame dates dames daughter dormer daughters dormers detain demesne detains demesnes detention dimension detentions dimensions deter demur deterred demurred deterring demurring deters demurs dote dome dotes domes drat drachm ecstasies Xmases eight aim eighty Amy entity enmity entities enmities fart farm farting farming farts farms fate fame fattish famish f�te fame flute flume flutes flumes fort form forts forms fought form freight frame freighting framing freights frames fruit Frome gait game gate game gates ganes gating gaming glitter glimmer glittered glimmered glittering glimmering glitters glimmers gloating gloaming glut glum grit grim gut gum guts gums gutting gumming harlot Haarlem hart harm harts harms hat ham hats hams hatter hammer hatters hammers heart harm hearts harms heartless harmless heartlessly harmlessly hit him hit hymn hits hymns hitting hymning hoot whom hut hum idiot idiom inflate inflame inflating inflaming inflates inflames jet gem jets gems jetty jemmy jetties jemmies Kate came lat lam late lame lately lamely later lamer latest lamest letting lemming lettings lemmings light lime lighting liming lights limes litre lemur litres lemurs loot loom looting looming loots looms mate maim mating maiming mates maims matey Mamie mat ma'am might mime minute minim mite mime mites mimes mutt mum mutter mummer mutters mummers note gnome nought norm nut numb nutting numbing nuts numbs oat ohm oats ohms opium opiate part palm parting palming parts palms party palmy Pat Pam pert perm poet poem poets poems pot pom potty pommy potties pommies rat ram rats rams ratting ramming ratification ramification ratifications ramifications ratify ramify ratified ramified ratifies ramifies ratifying ramifying retain remain retained remained retaining remaining retains remains retake remake retakes remakes retaking remaking right rhyme righting rhyming rights rhymes right rime rite rhyme rites rhymes rite rime root rheum root rooms roots rooms rooting rooming rot rhomb rots rhombs rote Rome rote roam rut rum ruts rums sat Sam sate same Saturn salmon scut scum seat seam seating seaming seats seams seat seem seating seeming seats seems shat sham shitter shimmer shitters shimmers sitter simmer sitters simmers skeet scheme skit skim skits skims skitter skimmer skitters skimmers slat slam slats slams sleight slime slight slime slit slim slitting slimming slits slims slut slum sluts slums spat spam spirt sperm squirt squirm squirting squirming squirts squirms stack smack stacked smacked stacking smacking stacks smacks stall small stalls smalls start smart started smarted starting smarting starts smarts starter smarter stash smash stashed smashed stashes smashes stashing smashing steer smear steered smeared steering smearing steers smears stet stem stile smile stiles smiles stoat smote stock smock stocking smocking stocks smocks stoke smoke stoked smoked stokes smokes stoking smoking stoker smoker stokers smokers street stream streets streams strut strum strutting strumming struts strums style smile styled smiled styles smiles styling smiling T me ta ma ta mar table Mabel tack mac tacks macs tag mag tags mags tail mail tailed mailed tailing mailing tails mails take make takes makes taking making takings makings taker maker takers makers take-up make-up talcum Malcolm tall mall tall maul tallow mallow tame maim tamed maimed tames maims taming mating tammy mammy tammies mammies tan man tans mans tanned manned tanning manning tangle mangle tangled mangled tangles mangles tangling mangling tango mango tangos mangoes tanks Manx tanner manner tanners manners tap map tapped mapped tapping mapping taps maps taproot taproom tar ma tar mar tars mars tarred marred tarring marring tare mare tares mares tarry marry tarried married tarries marries tarrying marrying tart mart tarts marts tartar martyr tartars martyrs task mask tasked masked tasking masking tasks masks tat mat tats mats tatted matted tatting matting tatter matter tattered mattered tatters matters tatty tammy tauter mortar tautest morticed tawse maws tax macs tea me teak meek tear mare tears mares tear mere tears meres teat team teats teams Ted Med tedium medium tee me teen mean teens means teeny meanie teeter meter teeters meters teg Meg ten men tend mend tended mended tending mending tends mends tender mender tenders menders tension mention tensions mentions tent meant terrier merrier Terry merry terser mercer test messed Thai my Thame maim thyme mime tickle mickle ticks mix tie my tight thyme tight might tight mite tights mites tighter mitre tightly timely tike mike tikes mikes tile mile tiles miles tiled mild till mill tilling milling tills mills tilled milled tiller miller tillers millers tilt milt time mime timed mimed times mimes timing miming tine mine tines mines tined mind tingle mingle tingled mingled tingles mingles tingling mingling tint mint tinted minted tinting minting tints mints tire mire tired mired tires mires tiring miring to moo toad mode toads modes toad mowed toast most toddle model toddled modelled toddles models toddling modeling toddler modeler toddlers modelers toe mow toeing mowing toes mows toed mowed toil moil toiled moiled toiling moiling toils moils old mould toll mole tolls moles tolled mould tone moan toned moaned tones moans toning moaning too moo toot moot tooted mooted tooting mooting toots moots toot tomb toots tombs top mop topped mopped topping mopping tops mops tope mope toped moped topes mopes toping moping toque moke toques mokes tor maw tors maws tor more tore maw tore more Torino merino torn morn torn mourn tot Tom tote moat toted moated totes moats tote tome totes tomes tough muff toughs muffs tour moor toured moored touring mooring tours moors tow mow tows mows towed mowed towing mowing tuck muck tucked mucked tucking mucking tucks mucks tuft muffed tug mug tugged mugged tugging mugging tugs mugs tulle mule tumble mumble tumbled mumbled tumbles mumbles tumbling mumbling tummy mummy tummies mummies tunic Munich tunny money tunnies monies Turk murk Turkey murky turtle myrtle turtles myrtles tusk musk tussle muscle tussled muscled tussles muscles tussling muscling tut mutt tuts mutts tutor tumour tutors tumours two moo twos moos Tyne mine unattended unamended wart warm warts warms water warmer waters warmers wert worm whit whim wit whim wits whims writ rim writs rims wrote Rome wrote roam
Credit: John Higgins