heteronym

[ het-er-uh-nim ]

/ ˈhɛt ər ə nɪm /

Save This Word!

noun

a word spelled the same as another but having a different sound and meaning, as lead (to conduct) and lead (a metal).

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of heteronym

From the Late Greek word heterṓnymos, dating back to 1880–85. See hetero-, -onym

Words nearby heteronym

heteromorphosis, heteromorphous, heteronomous, heteronomy, heteronormative, heteronym, heteronymous, heteronymous diplopia, heteronymous hemianopsia, Heteroousian, heteropathy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

British Dictionary definitions for heteronym

heteronym

/ (ˈhɛtərəʊˌnɪm) /

noun

one of two or more words pronounced differently but spelt alikethe two English words spelt ``bow'' are heteronyms Compare homograph

Derived forms of heteronym

heteronymous (ˌhɛtəˈrɒnɪməs), adjectiveheteronymously, adverb

Word Origin for heteronym

C17: from Late Greek heteronumos, from Greek hetero- + onoma name

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012