Ideophone Definition

idēōfōn, idēēəfōn; īdēōfōn, īdēəfōn
noun
A form that conveys an idea or impression, as in certain African languages, by means of a sound, often reduplicated, that suggests an action, quality, manner, etc.
Webster's New World

A word that utilizes sound symbolism to express aspects of events that can be experienced by the senses, like smell, color, shape, sound, action, or movement.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Ideophone

Noun

Singular:
ideophone
Plural:
ideophones

Origin of Ideophone

  • James F. Fordyce (The Ideophone as a Phonosemantic Class: The Case of Yoruba, in Current approaches to African linguistics, Ivan R. Dihoff (ed.), page 263) credits C. M. Doke with introducing the term in 1935.

    From Wiktionary

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ideophone