onomatopoeicadj.

Brit.

/ˌɒnəmatəˈpiːɪk/, U.S.

/ˈˌɑnəˌmɑdəˈpiɪk/,

/ˈˌɑnəˌmædəˈpiɪk/

Forms: 1800s– onomatopoeic, 1900s– onomatopeic.

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: onomatopoeia n., -ic suffix.

Etymology: < onomatopoeia n. + -ic suffix. Compare French onomatopéique (1826; 1785 as onomatopique ), Italian onomatopeico (a1639). Compare earlier onomatopoietical adj., onomatopoetic adj. N.E.D. (1903) gives the pronunciation as (onǫ:mătoˌpī·ik) /əʊˌnɒmətəʊˈpiːɪk/ /ˌɒnəʊmætəʊˈpiːɪk/.

Of, relating to, or characterized by onomatopoeia; = echoic adj.

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the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > [adjective] > onomatopoeic

onomatopoeious1661

onomatopoietical1709

onomatopoetic1847

onomatopoeian1860

onomatopoeic1860

onomatopoetical1866

onomatopoietic1875

echoic1880

onomatopoeical1880

1860 F. W. Farrar Ess. Origin Lang. i. 18 It originated from the onomatopœic character of a large part of all language.

1864 G. W. Dasent Jest & Earnest (1873) II. 69 What has been called that ‘Bow-wow’ theory of language, which would make everything ‘onomatopœic’.

1881 Cornhill Mag. July 104 Lines containing two of the finest onomatopoeic effects in our language, ‘I heard the ripple washing in the reeds And the wild water lapping on the crag’.

1919 Athenæum 11 July 582/2 Among the brand-new slang one may discern some that had an onomatopœic or at any rate an imitative origin; for instance ‘sloosh’, a wash.

1967 Daily Tel. 15 Nov. 21/8 Surely the word ‘plonk’ is onomatopoeic, being the noise made when a cork is withdrawn from the bottle?

1991 Times Educ. Suppl. 4 Jan. 25/2 The book comes with suggestions for use of classroom instruments, which are themselves the subjects of several onomatopoeic verses.

2000 S. Broughton et al. World Music: Rough Guide II. i. 132/2 Like many Indonesian music terms, dangdut is an onomatopoeic word, derived from the rhythm usually played on the gendang.

Derivatives

ˌonomatoˈpoeical adj. rare = onomatopoeic adj.

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