homophone
noun
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What are homonyms, homophones, and homographs?
Homonym can be troublesome because it may refer to three distinct classes of words. Homonyms may be words with identical pronunciations but different spellings and meanings, such as to, too, and two. Or they may be words with both identical pronunciations and identical spellings but different meanings, such as quail (the bird) and quail (to cringe). Finally, they may be words that are spelled alike but are different in pronunciation and meaning, such as the bow of a ship and bow that shoots arrows. The first and second types are sometimes called homophones, and the second and third types are sometimes called homographs—which makes naming the second type a bit confusing. Some language scholars prefer to limit homonym to the third type.
Examples of homophone in a Sentence
Paul Tassi, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
The puzzles are not always straightforward and use a range of possible associations from homophones and wordplay, among other techniques.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Retail investors in China are known for trading in stocks based on homophones — words that sound similar to another name or a phrase.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune Asia, 30 Oct. 2024
Today’s groups are... Yellow group — cook with heat and water
Green group — common perfume ingredients
Blue group — characters with pet dogs
Purple group — capital city homophones
What Are Today’s Connections Answers?
Spoiler alert!
—Kris Holt, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
However, the puzzles are rarely straightforward, using homophones and wordplay, among other techniques, to keep things interesting.
—Kendra Stanton Lee, Newsweek, 9 July 2024
Often the groupings are tricky, based on slang usages, alternative definitions, and homophones.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 2 July 2024
Chinese investors are known for speculative trading based on such homophones.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 28 June 2024
The German word for goose is Gans, a homophone of our surname.
—John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Dictionary Entries Near homophone
Cite this Entry
“Homophone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophone. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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homophone
noun
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