Meaning & use
monophthong
Last updated
A vowel sound pronounced with a single, unchanging quality throughout its articulation, as opposed to a diphthong.
See it in a sentence
The vowel in 'bed' is a monophthong, unlike the gliding vowel in 'boy.'
Linguists analyzed how the region's dialect turned certain diphthongs into monophthongs.
A note on using this word
The term combines Greek 'monos' (single) and 'phthongos' (sound), directly contrasting with 'diphthong,' which involves two vowel sounds gliding together.
Words with an opposite meaning
diphthong
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