phonology
noun
Simple meaning
The study of the way sounds function in languages, including accent, intonation, phonemes, stress, and syllable structure.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
fuhnahluhjeeSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
fəˈnɑlədʒi
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
uncountable
The study of the way sounds function in languages, including accent, intonation, phonemes, stress, and syllable structure, and which sounds are distinctive units within a language; (countable) the way sounds function within a given language; a phonological system.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Formality
- Technical
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
A person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives.
Related to the study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis and classification of its phonemes.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
- semanticsnoun
- linguisticsnoun
- lexiconnoun
- vowelnoun
- morphologynoun
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: study of the way sounds function in languages
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