| onomatopoeia | |
| on-o-mat-o-pee'-a | from Gk. onomos, "name" and poein, "to make" |
| nominatio, nominis confictio | |
| the new namer | |
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Using or inventing a word whose sound imitates that which it names (the union of phonetics and semantics). | |
| Examples | ||
| The buzzing
of innumerable bees The "zz" and "mm" sounds in these words imitate the actual sounds of bees. |
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| Related Figures | ||
| Related Topics of Invention | ||
| Sources: | Ad Herennium 4.31.42 ("nominatio"); Quintilian 8.6.31-33; Susenbrotus (1540) 10-11 ("onomatopoeia," "nominis confictio"); Peacham (1577) C4r; Putt. (1589) 192 ("onomatopeia," "the new namer"); Day 1599 79 | |
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