aphthong
English
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἄφθογγος (áphthongos). Compare diphthong.
Pronunciation
- Hyphenation: aph‧thong
Noun
aphthong (plural aphthongs)
- (phonology) A letter or combination of letters employed in spelling a word but not pronounced.
- The letters "gh" in "knight" are an aphthong.
Related terms
- aphthongal
Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for aphthong in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)