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 Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:16 am
euphony • YOO-fuh-nee • noun
*1 : pleasing or sweet sound; especially : the acoustic effect produced by words so formed or combined as to please the ear
2 : a harmonious succession of words having a pleasing sound
Example Sentence:
The poet chose words for the sake of euphony and rhythm as well as rhyme.
Did you know?
"Euphony" was borrowed from French at the beginning of the 17th century; the French word ("euphonie") itself derives from the Late Latin "euphonia," which in turn traces back to the Greek adjective "euphōnos," meaning "sweet-voiced" or "musical." "Euphōnos" was formed by combining the prefix "eu-" ("good") and "phōnē" ("voice"). In addition to its more commonly recognized senses, "euphony" also has a more specific meaning in the field of linguistics, where it can refer to the preference for words that are easy to pronounce; this preference may be the cause of an observed trend of people altering the pronunciation of certain words apparently in favor of sound combinations that are simpler and faster to say out loud.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:40 pm
so now i wonder, where did the word "phony" come from?
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:31 am
That's an interesting question! I'll have to look into that when I get some time.
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