phonetics
UK/fәu'netiks/US
TOEFLC2
Definitions
n.
The branch of linguistics that studies the physical sounds of human speech — how they are produced, transmitted, and heard
语音学
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedphōnē (sound) + -etics (naming a field of study) = 'the science of speech sounds.' Like mathematics or politics, the -ics ending marks a body of knowledge. It studies sound itself, separate from meaning.
Root phon still carries 13 more wordsUsage Guide
Although it ends in -s, 'phonetics' (the field) takes a singular verb: 'Phonetics is hard.' Don't confuse it with the adjective 'phonetic' (phonetic spelling), which has no -s.
Example Sentences
- 1.
She took a course in phonetics to improve her accent.
- 2.
Phonetics explains exactly how each speech sound is made.
- 3.
In phonetics, the same letter can stand for several sounds.