cacophony

American  

[kuh-kof-uh-nee] / kəˈkɒf ə ni /

noun

plural

cacophonies

1. harsh or unpleasant discordance of sound; dissonance.

   After living in the country, it's difficult for me to adjust to the cacophony produced by city traffic.

2. a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds.

   The sound effects included a cacophony of hoots, cackles, and wails.

3. Music. frequent use of harsh, discordant notes or chords that seem to be patternless and without connection to each other.

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cacophony British  

/ kəˈkɒfənɪ /

noun

1. harsh discordant sound; dissonance

2. the use of unharmonious or dissonant speech sounds in language

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Other Word Forms

• cacophonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of cacophony

First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin cacophonia, from Greek kakophōnía; equivalent to caco- + -phony

Example Sentences

It’s a stressful moment, but my favorite moment: the split second before the cacophony of sounds erupts and the race begins.

From Literature

The conductor’s baton was raised, the audience braced, that breathless moment before a cacophony of chaos filled the air.

From Literature

And in floundering the ending, “Undertone” reminds us that tranquility can be far more unsettling than a cacophony of sight and sound.

From Salon

With the rapturous cacophony this scene brings to mind, it is surprising to learn that Payawal created all of her pieces in silence.

From Los Angeles Times

But there was a cacophony of jeers and whistles throughout the break which lasted about a minute.

From BBC

Related Words

• noise