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Diphthong: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ”ค
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diphthong

 

[ หˆdษชf.ฮธษ”หล‹ ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

phonetics, linguistics

A diphthong is a complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel sound and glides into another within the same syllable. Unlike a simple vowel, which has a steady state, a diphthong is characterized by its dynamic nature, blending two vowel sounds smoothly. In English, diphthongs can significantly affect meaning and pronunciation, making them crucial for effective communication. Common examples of diphthongs in English include sounds like 'ai' in 'rain' and 'ou' in 'sound'.

Synonyms

gliding vowel, vowel combination

Examples of usage

  • The word 'coin' contains a diphthong.
  • Many learners struggle with English diphthongs.
  • Practicing diphthongs can improve your accent.
  • In some dialects, diphthongs are pronounced differently.

Translations

Translations of the word "diphthong" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น diptongo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฆเฅเคตเคฟเค—เฅเคฃเคฟเคค เคธเฅเคตเคฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Diphthong

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ diftong

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะดะธั„ั‚ะพะฝะณ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ diftong

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ไบŒ้‡ๆฏ้Ÿณ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท diphtongue

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ diptongo

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท diftong

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ด์ค‘ ๋ชจ์Œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุซู†ุงุฆูŠ ุงู„ุตูˆุช

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ diftong

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ diftong

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅŒๅ…ƒ้Ÿณ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ diftong

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ diftong

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะดะธั„ั‚ะพะฝะณ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ“แƒ˜แƒคแƒขแƒแƒœแƒ’แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ diptong

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ diptongo

Word origin

The term 'diphthong' originates from the Greek word 'diphthongos', which means 'two sounds' or 'two voices'. This word is a combination of 'di-', meaning 'two', and 'phthongos', meaning 'sound' or 'voice'. The concept of diphthongs has been discussed since ancient times in the context of phonetics and language studies. In linguistic theory, diphthongs play a key role in distinguishing meanings of words through their unique pronunciations. Over time, as phonetics evolved, the understanding and classification of diphthongs became more refined, enabling better comprehension of vowel sounds in various languages, including English.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,706, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.