phonics

[ fon-iks or, for 2, foh-niks ]

noun(used with a singular verb)
  1. a method of teaching reading and spelling based upon the phonetic interpretation of ordinary spelling.

  2. Obsolete. phonetics.

Origin of phonics

1
First recorded in 1675–85; phon- + -ics

Words Nearby phonics

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use phonics in a sentence

  • phonics is not a method of teaching reading, but it is a necessary part of every good, modern method.

    How to Teach Phonics | Lida M. Williams
  • As new words are met containing known sounds, the pupils should apply their knowledge of phonics.

    How to Teach Phonics | Lida M. Williams
  • The real difficulty in phonics lies in the fact that the pronunciation of the English language abounds in inconsistencies.

    How to Teach Phonics | Lida M. Williams
  • The attention given to the use of diacritical marks, silent letters, and phonics.

    History of France | Charlotte M. Yonge
  • The second step in my conversion occurred when one of the overworked teachers showed me hastily how to teach phonics.

    Life's Minor Collisions | Frances Warner

British Dictionary definitions for phonics

phonics

/ (ˈfɒnɪks) /


noun(functioning as singular)
  1. an obsolete name for acoustics (def. 1)

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

Derived forms of phonics

  • phonic, adjective
  • phonically, adverb

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