diphthong

Meaning

1. A complex vowel sound that begins with the sound of one vowel and ends with the sound of another vowel, in the same syllable.
2. A diaphoneme realized as a two-target vowel in some but not necessarily all dialects.
3. (rare) A vowel digraph or ligature.

Synonyms

digraph

triphthong

voice

glide vowel

gliding vowel

Translations

Diphthong

diphtongue

diptongo

dittongo

diftong

tweeklank

δίφθογγος

ditongo

diftong

Doppellaut

Zwielaut

diphthongus

diphtongus

Diphtong

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdɪfˌθɒŋ(ɡ)/

Etymology

PIE word
*dwóh₁
From French diphtongue, from Late Latin diphthongus, from Ancient Greek δίφθογγος (díphthongos, “two sounds”), from δίς (dís, “twice”) + φθόγγος (phthóngos, “sound”).