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diphthong

The definition of a diphthong is a vowel sound made by gliding from one vowel sound to the next.

(noun)

An example of a dipthong is the oa in the word coat.

See diphthong in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Phonet. a complex vowel sound made by gliding continuously from the position for one vowel to that for another within the same syllable, as (o̵u) in down; (ī) in ride; (o̵i) in boy; (ō) in boat
Printing either of the ligatures æ or œ, pronounced as diphthongs in classical Latin

Origin: ME diptonge < LL diphthongus < Gr diphthongos < di-, two + phthongos, voice, sound < phthengesthai, to utter

Related Forms:

diphthongal adjective

See diphthong in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A complex speech sound or glide that begins with one vowel and gradually changes to another vowel within the same syllable, as (oi) in boil or (ī) in fine.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English diptonge

Origin: , from Old French diptongue

Origin: , from Late Latin diphthongus

Origin: , from Greek diphthongos

Origin: : di-, two; see di-¹

Origin: + phthongos, sound

Related Forms: