Homophone: Difference between revisions
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A [[homophone]] is a word that sounds exactly like another. 'Meat', referring to animal food, sounds exactly like 'meet', meaning 'come together'. | A [[homophone]] is a word that sounds exactly like another. 'Meat', referring to animal food, sounds exactly like 'meet', meaning 'come together'. | ||
When homophones have the same spelling, they are also '''homonyms''': the [[modal verb]] 'will' sounds and also looks exactly like 'will' as in 'last will and testament', and there is a third 'will', as in 'having a strong will'. (Words with the same spelling are called '''homographs'''; but they are not all homophones: | When homophones have the same spelling, they are also '''homonyms''': the [[modal verb]] 'will' sounds and also looks exactly like 'will' as in 'last will and testament', and there is a third 'will', as in 'having a strong will'. (Words with the same spelling are called '''homographs'''; but they are not all homophones: some have different pronunciations, as with the verb 'to tear', meaning 'to rip', and 'tear', as in 'tearful'.) | ||
Revision as of 19:46, 21 November 2009
A homophone is a word that sounds exactly like another. 'Meat', referring to animal food, sounds exactly like 'meet', meaning 'come together'.
When homophones have the same spelling, they are also homonyms: the modal verb 'will' sounds and also looks exactly like 'will' as in 'last will and testament', and there is a third 'will', as in 'having a strong will'. (Words with the same spelling are called homographs; but they are not all homophones: some have different pronunciations, as with the verb 'to tear', meaning 'to rip', and 'tear', as in 'tearful'.)