PHONEME

---

(Greek: phonema = sound) Any of a small set of units, usually about 20 to 60 in number, and different for each language, considered to be the basic units of vocal sound. They are arrived at in a given language by determining which differences in sound indicate a difference in meaning.

Compare: ALLOPHONE, MORPHEME, PHONE, PHONEMICS, PHONETICS, PHONOLOGY.

---

home