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minimal pair
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noun Linguistics.
a pair of words, as pin and bin, or bet and bed, differing only by one sound in the same position in each word, especially when such a pair is taken as evidence for the existence of a phonemic contrast between the two sounds.
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Origin of minimal pair
First recorded in 1940–45
Words nearby minimal pair
minimalism, minimalist, minimalistic, minimalize, minimally invasive, minimal pair, minimarket, minimart, minimax, Mini-Me, minimill
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use minimal pair in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for minimal pair
minimal pair
noun
linguistics a pair of speech elements in a given language differing in only one respect and thus serving to identify minimum units such as phonemes, morphemes, etc. For example, tin and din constitute a minimal pair in English
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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