phonology
1 synonym for phonology, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The branch of linguistics that studies how sounds work in a language, including stress, intonation and syllable structure.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
sound system
How to use phonology
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
the phonology of a language
English phonology
study phonology
phonology and morphology
It is a technical term used mainly in linguistics and language teaching.
Etymology
The word is built in English from the prefix phono-, meaning sound, and the suffix -logy, used for the study of a subject.
Full origin of phonology →Frequently asked questions
What is phonology in simple terms?
Phonology is the study of how sounds are organised and used in languages. It looks at things such as stress, intonation and syllable structure, and at which sounds count as distinct units.
How do you pronounce phonology?
In British English it is said fuh-NOL-uh-jee, with the stress on the second syllable. American speakers may say the second vowel differently, but the stress stays in the same place.
What is the difference between phonology and phonics?
Phonology is the study of sound systems in languages. Phonics is a different term, usually connected with teaching people to link sounds to letters when reading.
