Definition of diphthong Diphthong

/dɪˈpθɔŋ/ - [dipthong] - diph•thong

We found 10 definitions of diphthong from 7 different sources.

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What does diphthong mean?

WordNet

WordNet by Princeton University

Noun

Plural: diphthongs

diphthong - a vowel sound that starts near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves toward the position for another
  vowel sound, vowel a speech sound made with the vocal tract open
= synonym
= antonym
= related word

Wiktionary Wiktionary dictionary logo

  • diphthong (Noun)
    A complex vowel sound that begins with the sound of one vowel and ends with the sound of another vowel, in the same syllable.
  • diphthong (Noun)
    A vowel digraph or ligature.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

  • diphthong (n.)
    A coalition or union of two vowel sounds pronounced in one syllable; as, ou in out, oi in noise; -- called a proper diphthong.
  • diphthong (n.)
    A vowel digraph; a union of two vowels in the same syllable, only one of them being sounded; as, ai in rain, eo in people; -- called an improper diphthong.
  • diphthong (v. t.)
    To form or pronounce as a diphthong; diphthongize.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

  • diphthong
    Combination of two (or three, in triphthong) vocalic elements in a single\nsyllable.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

  • diphthong
    dif′thong, or dip′thong, n. two vowel-sounds pronounced as one syllable.—adj. Diphthong′al, relating to a diphthong.—adv. Diphthong′ally.—n. Diphthongā′tion.—v.t. Diph′thongise. [Through Fr. from Gr. diphthongos, with two sounds—di-, twice, phthongos, sound.]

Wikipedia Wiktionary dictionary logo

  • A Diphthong (pronounced "DIF-thong") is a vowel sound that a person has to move his or her mouth into two different positions to make.

    A monophthong is a simple vowel sound that a person does not have to move his mouth to make, like the "oo" sound in "book." In a diphthong, the person combines two different monophthongs, as with the "oi" sound in the word "oil." The person starts with the mouth in the position to make an "o" sound, then quickly moves the mouth to make a hard "e" sound.

    Another example is the "ou" sound in the word "house." The mouth starts out making a sound like the soft "a" sound in "flat," then moves to make the a hard "oo" sound like the one in "caboose."

    Just like with every other part of language, the exact way to pronounce a diphthong is a little different for different accents.

    The word diphthong is derived from the old Greek language. Here, "di" means "two" or "double", while the part "-phthong" means "sound" or "tone", from the basic word "phthalein", which means "speak", "creating sound by the voice".

    A diphthong can be a lexeme of a language and as such it can as well be all one syllable.

Part of speech

🔤
  • diphthong, verb, present, 1st person singular of diphthong (infinitive).
  • diphthong, verb (infinitive).
  • diphthong, noun, singular of diphthongs.

Pronunciation

Word frequency

Diphthong is...

40% Complete
Very rare
Rare
Normal
Common
Very Common
33% Complete
Rare
Normal
Common

Sign Language

diphthong in sign language
Sign language - letter D Sign language - letter D Sign language - letter I Sign language - letter I Sign language - letter P Sign language - letter P Sign language - letter H Sign language - letter H Sign language - letter T Sign language - letter T Sign language - letter H Sign language - letter H Sign language - letter O Sign language - letter O Sign language - letter N Sign language - letter N Sign language - letter G Sign language - letter G