allograph

noun

al·​lo·​graph ˈa-lə-ˌgraf How to pronounce allograph (audio)
1
: a letter of an alphabet in a particular shape (such as A or a)
2
: a letter or combination of letters that is one of several ways of representing one phoneme (such as pp in hopping representing the phoneme \p\)
allographic adjective

Word History

Etymology

allo- + -graph, (in grapheme), on the model of allomorph : morpheme, allophone : phoneme

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of allograph was in 1951

Dictionary Entries Near allograph

Cite this Entry

“Allograph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allograph. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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