homophone, a. and n.
(ˈhɒməʊfəʊn)
Also -phon.
[ad. Gr. ὁµόϕωνος of the same sound, f. ὁµο- homo- + ϕωνή sound. Cf. F. homophone.]
A. adj. Having the same sound. rare.
| 1623 Cockeram, Homophon, of one sound. 1880 Encycl. Brit. XI. 796 Ten homophone letters were added. |
B. n.
1. Philol. (Usually in pl.) Applied to words having the same sound, but differing in meaning or derivation; also to different symbols denoting the same sound or group of sounds.
| 1843 Gliddon Anc. Egypt (1850) 6/2 An alphabet composed of 16 distinct articulations, for each of which there was a number more or less great of homophones—i.e. symbols differing in figure, though identical in sound. 1866 Felton Anc. & Mod. Gr. I. i. iii. 45 Each syllable or word [in Chinese] has..a considerable number of characters, made up originally of different elements..Practically each of these homophones may be used for the word, in whatever sense that word may be employed. 1873 F. Hall Mod. Eng. 170 note, Homophones, identical to the ear only; as ail and ale. 1883 I. Taylor Alphabet I. 29 We have in English the four homophones rite, write, right, and wright. By the aid of the variant spelling a child readily learns that these homophones are really four different words. |
2. Mus. = homophony 1. rare.
| 1879 Grove Dict. Mus. I. 746 Homophone..voices or instruments sounding alike—unison..sometimes applied to music written in what was formerly called the Monodic style..now ordinarily employed for music in plain harmony..as opposed to the Polyphonic treatment. |