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Webster 1913 Edition


Diphthong

Diph′thong

(?; 115, 277)
,
Noun.
[L.
diphthongus
, Gr. [GREEK];
δι-
=
δίσ-
twice + [GREEK] voice, sound, fr. [GREEK] to utter a sound: cf. F.
diphthongue
.]
(Orthoëpy)
(a)
A coalition or union of two vowel sounds pronounced in one syllable; as, ou in out, oi in noise; – called a
proper diphthong
.
(b)
A vowel digraph; a union of two vowels in the same syllable, only one of them being sounded; as, ai in rain, eo in people; – called an
improper diphthong
.

Diph′thong

,
Verb.
T.
To form or pronounce as a diphthong; diphthongize.
[R.]

Definition 2024


Diphthong

Diphthong

See also: diphthong

German

Alternative forms

  • Diftong

Noun

Diphthong m (genitive Diphthonges or Diphthongs, plural Diphthongen or Diphthonge)

  1. (phonetics) diphthong

diphthong

diphthong

See also: Diphthong

English

Noun

diphthong (plural diphthongs)

  1. (phonetics) A complex vowel sound that begins with the sound of one vowel and ends with the sound of another vowel, in the same syllable.
    For example: "ae", "au", "ou"
  2. (rare) A vowel digraph or ligature.
    • 1854, Robert Bigsby, Historical and Topographical Description of Repton, in the County of Derby, Woodfall and Kinder, page 47:
      And he might have written the name, also, with the diphthong æ, as well as the single vowel, in the initial syllable, throughout all the preceding forms.
    • 1860, Joseph E. Worcester, An Elementary Dictionary of the English Language, A New Edition, Swan, Brewer, and Tileston (publishers), page 12:
      An improper diphthong has only one of the vowels sounded; as, ea in heat, oa in coal.
    • 1874, Theophilus Dwight Hall, A Child’s First Latin Book, John Murray (publisher), page 3:
      The diphthong ae is sounded like ē (§7); that is, it has the sound of ey in they.

Derived terms

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Translations

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