onomatopoeia

[ on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh, ‐mah-tuh‐ ]
See synonyms for: onomatopoeiaonomatopoeiconomatopoetic on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.

  2. a word so formed.

  1. the use of imitative and naturally suggestive words for rhetorical, dramatic, or poetic effect.

Origin of onomatopoeia

1
First recorded in 1570–80; from Late Latin, from Greek onomatopoiía “making of words,” from onomato- (stem of ónoma “name”) + poi- (stem of poieîn “to make”) + -ia -ia;cf. -onym, poet

Other words from onomatopoeia

  • on·o·mat·o·poe·ic, on·o·mat·o·po·et·ic [on-uh-mat-uh-poh-et-ik], /ˌɒn əˌmæt ə poʊˈɛt ɪk/, adjective
  • on·o·mat·o·poe·i·cal·ly, on·o·mat·o·po·et·i·cal·ly, adverb

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

How to use onomatopoeia in a sentence

  • In the cultural languages they recur, if at all, only in the onomatopoetic word-formations of later origin.

  • Then follows the march, expressed both in musical notes and onomatopoetic words.

    Shakespeare and Music | Edward W. Naylor
  • So much sound makes us suspicious of the sense, but a little closer ear appreciates delicate and telling onomatopoetic effects.

  • “Literary impressionism,” which is largely the use of onomatopoetic words, is a valuable factor in the artistic short story.

  • As we know, music is a language which may delineate actual occurrences by means of onomatopoetic sounds.

British Dictionary definitions for onomatopoeia

onomatopoeia

/ (ˌɒnəˌmætəˈpiːə) /


noun
  1. the formation of words whose sound is imitative of the sound of the noise or action designated, such as hiss, buzz, and bang

  2. the use of such words for poetic or rhetorical effect

Origin of onomatopoeia

1
C16: via Late Latin from Greek onoma name + poiein to make

Derived forms of onomatopoeia

  • onomatopoeic or onomatopoetic (ˌɒnəˌmætəpəʊˈɛtɪk), adjective
  • onomatopoeically or onomatopoetically, 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