Monophthong

C2 16+

Pronunciation: /mɑːnəfθɔːŋ/

Definitions of monophthong

noun a single pure vowel sound, as opposed to a diphthong

Example Sentences

A1 A monophthong is a single, pure vowel sound.

A2 In English, the 'a' sound in 'cat' is a monophthong.

B1 Students learning phonetics often study monophthongs and diphthongs.

B2 Linguists analyze the monophthongs of different languages to understand their phonetic systems.

C1 The pronunciation of monophthongs can vary greatly between dialects and accents.

C2 Understanding the subtle differences between monophthongs is essential for mastering a language's phonetics.

adjective relating to or denoting a monophthong

Example Sentences

A1 English vowels are often described as monophthong sounds.

A2 In some languages, monophthong vowels are easier to pronounce than diphthongs.

B1 Linguists study the differences between monophthong and diphthong vowels.

B2 The monophthong vowel system in this language is relatively simple compared to others.

C1 His research on monophthong vowels has been published in several academic journals.

C2 The singer's ability to produce clear monophthong sounds is highly praised by vocal coaches.

Examples of monophthong in a Sentence

formal The linguist explained the concept of monophthong in great detail during the seminar.

informal I still don't quite understand what a monophthong is, can you explain it in simpler terms?

slang Monophthongs are like the basic building blocks of vowel sounds in words.

figurative Her voice was as clear and pure as a monophthong in a sea of diphthongs.

Grammatical Forms of monophthong

past tense

monophthonged

plural

monophthongs

comparative

more monophthong

superlative

most monophthong

present tense

monophthongs

future tense

will monophthong

perfect tense

have monophthonged

continuous tense

is monophthonging

singular

monophthong

positive degree

monophthong

infinitive

to monophthong

gerund

monophthonging

participle

monophthonged

Origin and Evolution of monophthong

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Greek
Story behind the word: The word 'monophthong' originated from the combination of the Greek words 'monos' meaning 'single' and 'phthongos' meaning 'sound'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in linguistics to refer to a single pure vowel sound, the term 'monophthong' has evolved to also encompass the concept of a single vowel letter or character in writing systems.