homophonic
Americanadjective
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having the same sound.
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Music. having one part or melody predominating (opposed to polyphonic).
adjective
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of or relating to homophony
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of or relating to music in which the parts move together rather than independently
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of homophonic
1875–80; < Greek homóphōn ( os ) ( see homophonous) + -ic
Explanation
Two words or names that sound the same are homophonic. For example, the words threw and through are homophonic. Surprisingly, the Irish surnames Maher, Marr, and Meagher are also homophonic when pronounced the Irish way — all three sound like mar! Homophonic has another meaning in music. It describes a piece that has a single main melody line, with or without accompaniment by other voices or instruments. This is in contrast to polyphonic music, which has more than one melody line of equal importance. Homophonic ultimately comes from the Greek roots homo-, meaning "the same," and phonos, "sound."
Vocabulary lists containing homophonic
Music - Middle School
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Music - High School
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: homo
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The homophonic novels share other likenesses: Both center on estranged sisters, both are set against a backdrop of political unrest and both feature the unlikely appearance of a horse.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
The letters used what’s known as a homophonic cipher, the researchers explain in a study published on Tuesday in the journal Cryptologia.
From Scientific American • Feb. 8, 2023
Enough to say that Locke’s homophonic title, “Gilt,” alludes both to the gold paint with which his sculptures are covered and to the politically instrumental uses and misuses of art over centuries.
From New York Times • Sep. 15, 2022
It’s all mostly homophonic, with every singer on the same page, but yet an individual amassing into a whole.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2021
Music that is mostly homophonic can become temporarily polyphonic if an independent countermelody is added.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
