Definition of onomatopoeia
1 : the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss)
2 : the use of words whose sound suggests the sense a study of the poet's onomatopoeia
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
onomatopoeia was our Word of the Day on 11/02/2011. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Examples of onomatopoeia in a Sentence
The term hiccup is an example of onomatopoeia … —Fred Cicetti, Montague Reporter, 6 Mar. 2008
You might think it was an onomatopoeia of the sound a Frisbee makes as it moves through the air, but the name has been attributed for years to the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Conn., which went out of business in 1958. —Mark Danna, Sports Illustrated, 11 May 1987
Buzz and hiss are examples of onomatopoeia.
Recent Examples of onomatopoeia from the Web
-
The Rubio Doctrine remains a work in progress, distinguished only by its distinctive gift for onomatopoeia.
-
Think of Sound Editors like a composer, the men and women who create and record sound effects (bleeps, bloops, and other cinematic onomatopoeias).
-
See, here's the thing, Reid, you frog's onomatopoeia, you.
-
That panel is the greatest moment in comic book onomatopoeia, bar none.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'onomatopoeia'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Onomatopoeia came into English via Late Latin and ultimately traces back to Greek onoma, meaning "name," and poiein, meaning "to make." ("Onoma" can be found in such terms as "onomastics," which refers to the study of proper names and their origins, while "poiein" gave us such words as "poem" and "poet.") English speakers have only used the word onomatopoeia since the mid-1500s, but people have been creating words from the sounds heard around them for much longer. In fact, the presence of so many imitative words in language spawned the linguistic Bowwow Theory, which postulates that language originated in imitation of natural sounds.
Origin and Etymology of onomatopoeia
Late Latin, from Greek onomatopoiia, from onomat-, onoma name + poiein to make — more at poet
First Known Use: circa 1577
Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms
ONOMATOPOEIA Defined for English Language Learners
onomatopoeia
playDefinition of onomatopoeia for English Language Learners
-
: the creation of words that imitate natural sounds
ONOMATOPOEIA Defined for Kids
onomatopoeia
playDefinition of onomatopoeia for Students
: the forming of a word (as “buzz” or “hiss”) in imitation of a natural sound
Learn More about onomatopoeia
-
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about onomatopoeia
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up onomatopoeia? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!