digraph

[ dahy-graf, -grahf ]

/ ˈdaɪ græf, -grɑf /

a pair of letters representing a single speech sound, as ea in meat or th in path.

Origin of digraph

First recorded in 1780–90; di-¹ + -graph

di·graph·ic

[dahy-graf-ik] /daɪˈgræf ɪk/, adjective di·graph·i·cal·ly, adverb

Digraph, dī′graf, n. two letters expressing but one sound, as ph in digraph.

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) |Various
A digraph may either be a combination of two consonants or of two vowels or of a vowel and a consonant.

Plain English |Marian Wharton
Two letters forming a diphthong or digraph are not to be separated.

Division of Words |Frederick W. Hamilton
The digraph th is represented in Old English texts by and , no consistent distinction being made between them.

Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Exercise Book |C. Alphonso Smith

A consonant or digraph between two sounded vowels usually joins the following vowel, rea-son, no-ti-fy, mo-ther.

Division of Words |Frederick W. Hamilton

digraph

/ (ˈdaɪɡrɑːf, -ɡræf) /

a combination of two letters or characters used to represent a single speech sound such as gh in English tough Compare ligature (def. 5), diphthong

digraphic (daɪˈɡræfɪk), adjective