phonics

American  

[fon-iks, foh-niks] / ˈfɒn ɪks, ˈfoʊ nɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

phonics plural

1. a method of teaching reading and spelling based upon the phonetic interpretation of ordinary spelling.

2. Obsolete. phonetics.

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phonics British  

/ ˈfɒnɪks /

noun

1. an obsolete name for acoustics

2. a method of teaching people to read by training them to associate letters with their phonetic values

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• phonic
  adjective
• phonically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• phonics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of phonics

First recorded in 1675–85; phon- + -ics

Compare meaning

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

• phonics vs. phonetics

Explanation

Phonics is the science of sound. It’s also a way of teaching reading by focusing on how letters and groups of letters of the alphabet look and sound. Phonics comes from the Greek word phone for "sound." Phone is a familiar word as the thing you talk to people on, but it also shows up in other sound-related words like phonology (the scientific study of sounds in languages) and phonograph (an old device for playing music). Phonics is a way of teaching beginning readers to match letters and sounds. By associating letters with sounds, phonics helps people hear and say the words they’re seeing on the page.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

phonics

Elementary school children take diagnostic tests for phonics and spelling at the start of camp and again toward the end.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

The state’s schools—once among the U.S.’s worst-performing—have made gains with intensive tutoring, mandatory summer school for struggling pupils and a back-to-basics approach that emphasizes phonics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

For years, schools taught reading using approaches that de-emphasized phonics and encouraged strategies such as guessing words based on context clues.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

Carvalho’s central focus on improving test scores has led to increased tutoring, repeated diagnostic measures and phonics training.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

B, considering other things more important in beginning school life than learning to read, strongly opposes any extensive and systematic use of phonics.

From How to Study and Teaching How to Study by McMurry, Frank M. (Frank Morton)