Poetic Terms Dictionary
Sound Device

Onomatopoeia

From Greek onoma (name) + poiein (to make). A form of sound symbolism; Tennyson and Hopkins exploited it systematically. Related to the broader category of phonaesthesia.

Definition

Words whose sound imitates or suggests the thing they describe.

Example

'Buzz,' 'hiss,' 'murmur,' 'clang,' 'rustle' — the word's pronunciation performs its meaning.

Related Terms