phonic

American  

[fon-ik, foh-nik] / ˈfɒn ɪk, ˈfoʊ nɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to speech sounds.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• phonically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of phonic

First recorded in 1815–25; phon- + -ic

Explanation

Something that's phonic is related to spoken words or sounds. Puns often rely on phonic similarities between words — like when you declare that the panda at the zoo has "the right to bear arms." In its singular form, phonic is generally used as a synonym for phonetic — both words describe the sounds of speech. The phonic elements of poetry are much clearer when it's read out loud, while the phonic variations between words in a foreign language can be tricky to distinguish from each other when you're just starting to learn it. Add an s and you get phonics, a method of teaching reading by sounding out letters.

Related Words

• audiovisual
• auditory
• aural
• neural
• neurological
• olfactory
• sensual
• sonic
• tactile
• visual