phonetic

[ fuh-net-ik ]

adjective

1. Also pho·net·i·cal [] of or relating to speech sounds, their production, or their transcription in written symbols.
2. corresponding to pronunciation:

   phonetic transcription.

3. agreeing with pronunciation:

   phonetic spelling.

4. concerning or involving the discrimination of nondistinctive elements of a language. In English, certain phonological features, as length and aspiration, are phonetic but not phonemic.

noun

1. (in Chinese writing) a written element that represents a sound and is used in combination with a radical to form a character.

phonetic

/ fəˈnɛtɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to phonetics
2. denoting any perceptible distinction between one speech sound and another, irrespective of whether the sounds are phonemes or allophones Compare phonemic
3. conforming to pronunciation

   phonetic spelling

Derived Forms

• phoˈnetically, adverb

Other Words From

• pho·net·i·cal·ly adverb
• non·pho·net·ic adjective
• non·pho·net·i·cal adjective
• un·pho·net·ic adjective
• un·pho·net·i·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of phonetic¹

First recorded in 1820–30; from New Latin phōnēticus, from Greek phōnētikós “vocal,” equivalent to phōnēt(ós) “to be spoken” (verbid of phōneîn “to speak”) + -ikos adjective suffix; -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of phonetic¹

C19: from New Latin phōnēticus, from Greek phōnētikos, from phōnein to make sounds, speak

Example Sentences

Pink cocaine originated in Colombia and is also known by the street name “tusi,” a phonetic translation of “2C-B,” a quasi psychedelic that was first synthesized by the drug pioneer Alexander Shulgin in the 1970s, the New York Times reported.

From Los Angeles Times

Many proudly refer to themselves as DINKs — using the acronym in English — or dingke, the phonetic translation in Mandarin.

From Los Angeles Times

An American woman held a notecard with a question that read: “Muh reese uh” — the phonetic pronunciation of Marisa — “not only was your portrayal of Amy beyond uncanny in every imaginable way, your performance was grounded in such truth and authenticity, and it was beautifully humanizing. Can you talk about how that place of abundant love and passion was a north star of sorts when stepping into her shoes?”

From New York Times

While they still don’t know, they now think there are sets of clicks they believe make up a “phonetic alphabet” that the whales can use to build the very rough equivalent of what people think of as words and phrases.

From Seattle Times

They say they have found four basic components they think make up this phonetic alphabet.

From Seattle Times