phonetics

American  

[fuh-net-iks, foh-] / fəˈnɛt ɪks, foʊ- /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. the science or study of speech sounds and their production, transmission, and reception, and their analysis, classification, and transcription.

2. the phonetic system or the body of phonetic facts of a particular language.

3. the symbols used to represent the speech sounds of a language.

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phonetics British  

/ fəˈnɛtɪks /

noun

1. (functioning as singular) the science concerned with the study of speech processes, including the production, perception, and analysis of speech sounds from both an acoustic and a physiological point of view. This science, though capable of being applied to language studies, technically excludes linguistic considerations Compare phonology

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Etymology

Origin of phonetics

First recorded in 1835–45; phonetic, -ics

Compare meaning

How does phonetics compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• phonics vs. phonetics

Example Sentences

The album first sprang to mind six years ago, when the title began as a simple game of phonetics.

From Los Angeles Times

The exam comprised a series of papers on phonetics, grammar, and translation, which took 12 hours to complete.

From BBC

But Judith Onwuzurike, a phonetics teacher in Abuja, says putting an effort into speak like the British is a sign of respect.

From BBC

He said writing a song was second nature, and he “used his own version of phonetics” to quickly create songs.

From Los Angeles Times

He said he used his own version of phonetics to create songs so quickly that he could write up to nine in a day.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• accent
• diction
• utterance