English

Noun

heterophone ‎(plural heterophones)

1. A word whose spelling and sound both differ from another’s.

Usage notes

• Since, taken strictly, this term can be applied to the vast majority of word pairs, its use tends to be restricted to closely-related homœographs that are pronounced differently; for example, the six alternative spellings of ailurophile, which are very similarly spelt but have four different pronunciations between them.

Related terms

• heterophonic
• heterophonous
• heterophony

See also

An Euler diagram showing the relationship between these -nyms.