HOMOPHONOUS Meaning and
Definition
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Homophonous is an adjective that describes words, phrases, or even names that sound the same but possess different meanings or spellings. It is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: "homo," meaning "same," and "phone," meaning "sound." This term is predominantly used in the field of linguistics to refer to a phonetic similarity between words that can cause confusion or ambiguity in communication.
When two words are homophonous, they are pronounced identically or very similarly, making it difficult to distinguish their meanings without context or visual aid. For instance, the words "to," "two," and "too" are homophonous because they share the same pronunciation, but their meanings vary. Similarly, the homophonous words "known" and "none" also demonstrate this concept as they have different spellings and definitions but are pronounced alike.
Homophony can occur naturally across languages, leading to difficulties for non-native speakers to distinguish between words that share the same sound but have distinct meanings. Moreover, in creative contexts like poetry or puns, writers often utilize homophony to emphasize wordplay or create humorous effects by exploiting the similarities between homophonous words.
In conclusion, homophonous refers to words or phrases that possess the same or very similar sound but differ in their meanings or spellings. Such linguistic phenomena can be found within and across languages, affecting comprehension and communication processes.
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Having the same sound; of the same pitch.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for HOMOPHONOUS
Etymology of HOMOPHONOUS
The word "homophonous" derives from the combination of two Greek roots: "homeo" meaning "same" or "similar", and "phone" meaning "sound".
The term "homeo" (ὅμοιος) comes from the Greek word "homoios" (ὅμοιος), which means "like" or "similar". It indicates a sameness or likeness between different elements.
The word "phone" (φωνή) in Greek means "voice" or "sound". It is derived from the Greek verb "phōneō" (φωνέω), which translates to "to make sound" or "to utter".
When these two roots are combined, "homophonous" is formed, referring to something that has the same or similar sound or pronunciation as another word but might have a different spelling or meaning.
Similar spelling words for HOMOPHONOUS
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