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Synonyms

phonemic

American  
[fuh-nee-mik, foh-] / fəˈni mɪk, foʊ- /

adjective

  1. of or relating to phonemes.

    a phonemic system.

  2. of or relating to phonemics.

  3. concerning or involving the discrimination of distinctive speech elements of a language.

    a phonemic contrast.
phonemic British  
/ fəˈniːmɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the phoneme

  2. relating to or denoting speech sounds that belong to different phonemes rather than being allophonic variants of the same phoneme Compare phonetic

  3. of or relating to phonemics

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of phonemic

First recorded in 1930–35; phoneme + -ic

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 incidence of these kinds of mistakes takes him into this realm of phonemic paraphasia, which is a sign of underlying brain damage, not just aging.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2024

Skipping or downplaying phonics, phonemic awareness and related skills makes learning to read especially difficult for kids with learning disabilities, including dyslexia.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2023

Struggling readers often lack a strong basis in phonemic awareness.

From Slate • Nov. 12, 2020

But for children with dyslexia, phonemic awareness is difficult.

From Scientific American • Sep. 27, 2020

Language and music are intertwined to the point where there is evidence of a connection in the brain between phonemic sound discrimination and musical sound discrimination.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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.