Skip to content

The word for today is…

onomatopoeia (noun):

1: the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss)

2: the use of words whose sound suggests the sense

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology :English speakers have only used the word onomatopoeia since the 1500s, but people have been creating words inspired by the sounds heard around them for much longer. It may not surprise you to learn that fizz, jingle, toot, and pop are onomatopoeic in origin, but did you know the same is true of bounce, tinker, and blimp? In fact, the presence of so many imitative words in language spawned the linguistic bowwow theory, which postulates that language originated in the imitating of natural sounds. While it’s highly unlikely that onomatopoeia is the sole impetus for human language, it certainly made a mark.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest