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

“But…” There were a thousand things he wanted to ask; a cacophony, rising in his throat.

From Literature

By the time he got home to the usual cacophony of the McKay house, Coal was exhausted in every possible way.

From Literature

Somewhere in the woods, there’s a cacophony of yips—the runts most likely bungling the squirrel hunt.

From Literature

Among Labour MPs, while there is unease, some now public, some private, there doesn't appear at this stage to be an overwhelming cacophony of noisy opposition to Downing Street's position.

From BBC

Lam Thanh, 50, who manages a dormitory for workers near one of Ho Chi Minh City's estimated 1,000 courts, says the cacophony is proving to be costly.

From Barron's

Related Words

• noise