The word that is famously spelled “wrong” in the dictionary is, quite literally, the word “wrong.” This is a classic riddle or joke, often phrased as:
> “What word is spelled wrong in the dictionary?”
The answer to this riddle is “wrong,” because when you look it up in the dictionary, you will see the word “wrong” spelled exactly as it is supposed to be, but the question plays on the idea that it is “wrong” in the sense that it’s the answer to the question.
Why Is This Funny?
The humor comes from the double meaning of the word “wrong”:
Incorrect spelling: The word “wrong” could be interpreted as something that is not correct, which in turn creates the joke.
Actual word: The word “wrong” is, of course, spelled correctly in the dictionary, so there’s an irony in the statement.