onomatopoeia
[ on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh, ‐mah-tuh‐ ]
/ ˌɒn əˌmæt əˈpi ə, ‐ˌmɑ tə‐ /
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.
Origin of onomatopoeia
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, adverbWords nearby onomatopoeia
onomasticon,
onomastics,
onomatology,
onomatomania,
onomatophobia,
onomatopoeia,
onondaga,
onondagan,
onr,
onrush,
ons
Example sentences from the Web for onomatopoeic
With onomatopoeic effects it gives a vivid if unfriendly picture of a blacksmith's forge on a busy night.
Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose |VariousIn the vernacular the point is brought out by the onomatopoeic character of the lines, which cannot be rendered in English.
The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India |R. V. RussellIn Language, its Origin and Development , he upholds the onomatopoeic theory.
British Dictionary definitions for onomatopoeic
onomatopoeia
/ (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 of onomatopoeia
onomatopoeic or onomatopoetic (ˌɒnəˌmætəpəʊˈɛtɪk), adjective onomatopoeically or onomatopoetically, adverbWord Origin for onomatopoeia
C16: via Late Latin from Greek
onoma name +
poiein to make