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Descriptive Language

Question

What is an Onomatopoeia?

4 years ago

ยท

250 Replies

ยท

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D

Dolores Haley


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250 Answers

L
Lawrence Lomas

Onomatopoeia is the term for a word created with the purpose of describing a particular sound. The word should phonetically imitate the sound it is describing. Some examples of onomatopoeia include 'meow' (the sound a cat makes), 'pitter-patter' (the sound rain makes as it lands), 'splash' (the sound something makes when it lands in water), and buzz (the sound a bee makes during flight).

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Andrew R Profile Picture
Andrew R Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

Specialist in Religious Studies and Design & Technology

An Onomatopoeia is any word that has been created to represent a sound. This could be the sound an animal makes such as "quack" for a duck or "bark" for a dog. It could also be a sound made by an object such as the "tick" of a clock. Another example in nature might be the "crash" of the waves on a beach. There are some more examples below and short quiz to test your knowledge.


https://literaryterms.net/onomatopoeia-quiz/


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Dawn Evans

The naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it such as Bang, buzz, hiss.

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Ellen Crofton

Hi Dolores!


Onomatopoeia is the naming of a word that sounds like the thing it describes. For example, bang, sizzle, pop, splash etc. It's useful to read these words aloud as you'll realise how much they sound like what they are describing! Onomatopoeias can be used for humorous or dramatic effect. Hope that helps.

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A
Adam Ford

Onomatopoeia is a type of word that is formed from the sound that the thing being named makes. Some examples in English are bang, meow (or miaow), and tick-tock.

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Megan O Profile Picture
Megan O Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

English Language and Literature Teacher, 11+ & GCSE Exam Preparation.

Onomatopoeia is a word that when said out loud sounds like or imitates the thing that it is describing. Examples include the words 'hiss', 'buzz', and 'pitter-patter'. In literature this is a descriptive technique used to clearly and realistically evoke the sound that something made.

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Leonie H Profile Picture
Leonie H Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

Qualified English teacher of 5 years. Experienced tutor for a decade.

An onomatopoeia is the naming od a thing or action by imitation of the sound, For example boom to demonstrate a loud sound.

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Paul Linggood

An onomatopoeia is a language feature, often known as a 'sound word.' The word represents or mimics the sound it makes: 'snap, crackle, pop, bang, fizz, crash, thud...'

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S
Steven Willis

Onomatopoeia is the formation of words from sounds associated with them like buzz which is the sound a bee makes.

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Lorna Welch

Onomatopoeia is a language device writers use to create a sense of sound for example the word pop when spoken makes the sound of something popping. Therefore the word pop is an example of onomatopoeia.

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Asiya A Profile Picture
Asiya A Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

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Onomatopoeia refers to those words that resembles to its vocal imitation. For an example buzz, it refers to the sound 'buzz' of a bee

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M
Matthew Corcoran

An Onomatopoeia is a word that is used to convey the sound it is describing, eg bang, thud, clap, crackle, plop etc

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Jonathan D Profile Picture
Jonathan D Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

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Onomatopoeia simply means that the word that you want to use is associated with the sound the word actually makes e.g bacon sizzles in the frying pan (sizzles is the sound that the bacon makes).

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Leila G Profile Picture
Leila G Verified Sherpa Tutor โœ“

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A word that sounds like its meaning, for example 'sizzling'

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Nadia K

Onomatopoeia is a literary device in which a word is used to represent a sound. For example, the words 'pop', 'crack' and 'splat' are all onomatopoeic. Onomatopoeia can also be used to represent the sounds that animals or people make.

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