allophone

What is another word for allophone? Here is its meaning, with related words and examples.

Noun — One of two or more different sounds used to say the same underlying phoneme in a language.

We haven't recorded synonyms for allophone yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.

How to use allophone

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

allophones of a phoneme complementary allophones allophonic variation

The phonology sense is a technical linguistics term, while the Canadian sense is everyday usage in that country.

Etymology

Allophone comes from the prefix allo-, meaning different, joined to -phone, a combining form relating to sound. It names something that counts as a different version of the same underlying sound unit.

Full origin of allophone →

Frequently asked questions

What is an allophone in simple terms?

It is one of the different ways a single sound in a language can actually be pronounced, without changing the word's meaning.

How is an allophone different from a phoneme?

A phoneme is the abstract sound unit a language recognises, while an allophone is one of its real spoken variants.

Why does Canada use allophone to describe people?

In Canadian usage it describes someone whose mother tongue is neither of Canada's official languages, English or French.

Nearby words

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