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onomatopoeia
[ on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh, ‑-mah-tuh‑ ]
noun
- the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
- a word so formed.
- the use of imitative and naturally suggestive words for rhetorical, dramatic, or poetic effect.
onomatopoeia
/ ˌɒnəˌmætəpəʊˈɛtɪk; ˌɒnəˌmætəˈpiːə /
noun
- the formation of words whose sound is imitative of the sound of the noise or action designated, such as hiss, buzz, and bang
- the use of such words for poetic or rhetorical effect
Derived Forms
- ˌonoˌmatoˈpoeically, adverb
- ˌonoˌmatoˈpoeic, adjective
Other Words From
- ono·mato·poeic on·o·mat·o·po·et·ic [on-, uh, -mat-, uh, -poh-, et, -ik], adjective
- ono·mato·poei·cal·ly ono·mato·po·eti·cal·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of onomatopoeia1
Word History and Origins
Origin of onomatopoeia1
Example Sentences
Donald, on the other hand, began imitating Gua’s barks and onomatopoeia, which may have been one reason the experiment ended in just six months.
Reading his writing can be kind of like taking a psychedelic — a literary onomatopoeia.
He seemed as much taken aback as if he had found a tribe of Cherokees studying onomatopoeia in English verse.
All words which were spontaneously acquired seemed to be instances of onomatopoeia.
Onomatopoeia, formations of words resembling in sound that of the things denoted by them.
Mao, the term for a "cat," is obviously an example of onomatopoeia.
This correspondence of sound and sense is called onomatopoeia.
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Related Words
More About Onomatopoeia
What is onomatopoeia?
An onomatopoeia is the forming of a word by imitating the sound the word is referring to, as in bang, meaning “a loud, explosive sound,” and meow, meaning “the sound a cat makes.”
The words themselves are also known as onomatopoeias.
Many commonly used words are onomatopoeias. Onomatopoeias are used to give a sense of action or intensity to writing or drawings.
Why is onomatopoeia important?
CRASH! BOOM! KAPOW! OINK? Onomatopoeias are fun words that give a little pizzazz to writing or drawings.
The first records of the term onomatopoeia come from around 1570. It comes from the Greek onomatopoiía, meaning “making of words.”
Onomatopoeia has been used in many works of writing and sometimes shows up in artwork. Most onomatopoeias are words that represent sounds, such as animal calls (cows moo, birds tweet) and other noises (woosh, boom, and thump). But onomatopoeias can describe actions as well, such as poof, splash, and sizzle.
In writing, onomatopoeias are used to enhance a sentence or provide atmosphere to a scene, as in The bull crashed through the china shop. You can almost hear the china crashing in a way that you don’t in The bull ran through the china shop.
If you watch cartoons or read comic books, you have probably seen a good example of how onomatopoeia can be used to increase intensity or excitement. Whether Batman is punching the Joker with a heroic “pow!” or Daffy Duck is blowing himself up with a loud “kaboom!” onomatopoeias are providing the sound effects of our everyday lives.
Did you know ... ?
Onomatopoeia is almost cliché in superhero comic books. Comic books have also featured some truly unique onomatopoeias, such as zonk, bamf, and even vjjjwommmwwwb.
What are real life examples of onomatopoeia?
This drawing gives some examples of common onomatopoeias:
EF English Live / Shutterstock
Many people are big fans of onomatopoeia as long as they don’t actually have to spell it.
Is the name of every pokemon an onomatopoiea? Because that's the actual sound that it makes
— 🍬 juniper 🍬 (@juniper_mint) February 19, 2020
A truck honked twice and I yelled back "SNERT SNERT," which is terrible onomatopoiea, honestly
— zusty ebooks (@zusty_ebooks) February 4, 2016
What other words are related to onomatopoeia?
Quiz yourself!
True or False?
The word bang is an example of onomatopoeia.
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