phonemes

noun

UK /ˈfəʊ.niːmz/

US /ˈfoʊ.niːmz/

Phonemes are the smallest sounds in a word that make it different from another word.

The word 'cat' has three phonemes: /k/, /æ/, and /t/.

SYNONYMS

speech sounds sound units distinctive sounds language sounds

RELATED WORDS

syllables letters pronunciation phonics vowels

OTHER MEANINGS

2. The set of basic sound units used in a particular language.

English has about 44 phonemes, while some languages have far fewer.

3. In linguistics, abstract units of sound that distinguish meaning.

Changing one phoneme in 'bat' to 'pat' changes the whole word.

4. Sounds taught in early reading programs to help children decode words.

The teacher practiced phonemes with the class using picture cards.