Homophone

/ˈhɒməˌfoʊn/

Meaning & Definition

noun

Each of two or more words pronounced the same but differing in meaning, and may differ in spelling.

The words 'bare' and 'bear' are homophones, as they sound the same but have different meanings.

Words that sound alike but have different meanings and often different spellings.

Students often confuse homophones like 'their', 'there', and 'they're' in writing.

A linguistic term referring to words that share the same pronunciation.

In English, 'flour' and 'flower' are common examples of homophones.

A term primarily used in phonetics and linguistics.

Understanding homophones is essential for effective communication in English.

The word 'homophone' is derived from the Greek words 'homo' meaning 'same' and 'phone' meaning 'voice' or 'sound'.

play on words

A humorous or clever use of words that sounds similar.

pun

A form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term.

double entendre

A word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué.

antonym

A word that has the opposite meaning.

synonym

A word that has the same or similar meaning.

polyphone

A word with multiple pronunciations.

Sounds the same as something else.

You've got to love how the slang 'to steal' can be homophonous with 'to seal' in some situations.

Wordplay involving similar-sounding words.

He made a homophone joke by confusing 'knight' with 'night'.