phonology

[ fuh-nol-uh-jee, foh- ]

noun

, plural pho·nol·o·gies.

1. the study of the distribution and patterning of speech sounds in a language and of the tacit rules governing pronunciation.
2. the phonological system or the body of phonological facts of a language.

phonology

/ ˌfɒn-; ˌfəʊnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; fəˈnɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of the sound system of a language or of languages in general Compare syntax syntax semantics
2. such a sound system

Derived Forms

• phonological, adjective
• phoˈnologist, noun
• ˌphonoˈlogically, adverb

Other Words From

• pho·no·log·i·cal [fohn-l-, oj, -i-k, uh, l, fon-], pho·no·log·ic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of phonology¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; phono- + -logy

Example Sentences

There are other ways of doing this, but I think most conlangers will begin with the phonetics and phonology, which is to say, let's determine what sounds are going to be in the language — and just as importantly, what sounds are not going to be in the language.

From Salon

That's the phonetics and phonology part.

From Salon

There are other ways of doing this, but I think most conlangers will begin with the phonetics and phonology, which is to say, let's determine what sounds are going to be in the language — and just as importantly, what sounds are not going to be in the language.

From Salon

Phonology is first on the agenda.

From Seattle Times

By the end of last year, her first full school year teaching this method, Hurt said 80% of her first-grade class had aced a phonology test — nothing she’d seen before in previous years.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• accent
• diction
• utterance