diphthong

noun

diph·thong | \ ˈdif-ˌthȯŋ

, ˈdip- \

Definition of diphthong

1 linguistics : a gliding (see glide entry 1 sense 4) monosyllabic speech sound (such as the vowel combination at the end of toy) that starts at or near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves to or toward the position of another

2 linguistics : digraph

3 : the ligature (see ligature sense 4) æ or œ

Other Words from diphthong Example Sentences Phrases Containing diphthong Learn More About diphthong

Examples of diphthong in a Sentence

The sounds of “ou” in “out” and of “oy” in “boy” are diphthongs.

Recent Examples on the Web Our heroes come from House Atreides, their elegance enhanced by that smooth classical diphthong. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2021 The reader can almost hear Camilleri’s longtime translator, Stephen Sartarelli, chuckling over his rendition of Catarella’s chatter as that mishmash of h-dropping Cockney and diphthong-slaying Brooklynese. — Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2021 Even the big diphthongs that my grandfather’s years in the States had tamped down swelled back to their former glory in this company. — Kevin Dettmar, The New Yorker, 20 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diphthong.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.