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Meaning & use

phonetic

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/fəˈnetɪk/
US/fəˈnetɪk/

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparable

    Relating to the sounds of speech or to the way they are produced.

    Grammar: Usually not compared; use 'more phonetic' only in special contexts.

    Patterns

    • phonetic alphabet
    • phonetic transcription
    • phonetic spelling

    The word 'knight' has a phonetic pronunciation that differs from its spelling.

    Linguists study phonetic features like voicing and place of articulation.

    She has a good phonetic awareness of English vowels.

  2. adjectivenot comparable

    Representing speech sounds with a consistent set of symbols, as in a phonetic alphabet.

    Grammar: Used before a noun: phonetic symbols, phonetic transcription.

    Patterns

    • phonetic symbols
    • phonetic system
    • phonetic representation

    The International Phonetic Alphabet uses symbols to represent every speech sound.

    In a phonetic spelling system, each letter stands for one sound.

    The dictionary gives phonetic transcriptions in slashes.

Common combinations

phonetic alphabet
The International Phonetic Alphabet is used by linguists worldwide.
phonetic transcription
The phonetic transcription of 'cat' is /kæt/.
phonetic spelling
Children often use phonetic spelling when they first learn to write.
phonetic analysis
The software performs phonetic analysis of speech recordings.

Synonyms and how they differ

phonemic
Phonemic refers to sound units that distinguish meaning in a language, while phonetic refers to actual speech sounds.
articulatory
More technical; relates to how speech organs produce sounds, a branch of phonetics.

Word family

phonetics noun
The study of speech sounds.
phonetically adverb
In a way that relates to speech sounds.
phonetician noun
An expert in phonetics.

Commonly confused: phonetic or phonemic? phonetic or phonic?

phonetic vs phonemic

Phonetic is about actual sounds; phonemic is about sounds that make a difference in meaning in a particular language.

phonetic vs phonic

Phonic relates to teaching reading by sounds, while phonetic relates to speech sounds in general.

Practice

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