phonics

American  

[fon-iks, foh-niks] / ˈfɒn ɪks, ˈfoʊ nɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

• phonics
  plural

1. a method of teaching reading and spelling based upon the phonetic interpretation of ordinary spelling.

2. Obsolete. phonetics.

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phonics British  

/ ˈfɒnɪks /

noun

1. an obsolete name for acoustics

2. a method of teaching people to read by training them to associate letters with their phonetic values

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• phonic
  adjective
• phonically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• phonics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of phonics

First recorded in 1675–85; phon- + -ics

Compare meaning

How does phonics compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• phonics vs. phonetics

Explanation

Phonics is the science of sound. It’s also a way of teaching reading by focusing on how letters and groups of letters of the alphabet look and sound. Phonics comes from the Greek word phone for "sound." Phone is a familiar word as the thing you talk to people on, but it also shows up in other sound-related words like phonology (the scientific study of sounds in languages) and phonograph (an old device for playing music). Phonics is a way of teaching beginning readers to match letters and sounds. By associating letters with sounds, phonics helps people hear and say the words they’re seeing on the page.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

phonics

But in only one program, at Florida International University, did he classify more readings as “traditional”—on such basics as phonics or classroom management, for example, or classic books—than in any other category.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

For years, schools taught reading using approaches that de-emphasized phonics and encouraged strategies such as guessing words based on context clues.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

Each school district must convince its teachers to choose phonics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025

After decades of debate over how to teach reading, a new bill aims to use phonics to solve the state’s literacy crisis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2025

Especial attention is called to the system of phonics developed.

From The Magic Speech Flower or Little Luke and His Animal Friends by Melvin Hix