What is an Onomatopoeia?

A word that imitates a sound.

Onomatopoeia is when the words sounds like it is. For example buzz, fizz, pop

Onomatopoeia is when words are used to mimic sounds. For example, the word "moo" is onomatopoeia for the sound a cow makes.

Onomatopoeia is a language technique that is formed by the sound it makes. For example, snap, crackle, pop, hiss, bang, crash, thud, fizz...

Onomatopoeia is when the word sounds like the noise itself, for example ‘cuckoo’ or ‘sizzle’

An onomatopoeia is where a word is formed to give a sound that is associated with the word. For example, Sizzle, Cuckoo

The act of creating or using words that include sounds that are similar to the noises the words refer to. E.g. bang, bash, boom.

A word that has come into existence because of the sound of what it means e.g. sizzle

Hello Dolores!

Onomatopoeia is the use of words that make the sound of the thing they describe.

Try saying the word 'sigh' aloud and feel how similar it feels to an actual sigh.

Or listen to the message notification sounds on your phone. Do some of them actually sound like the word 'ping'?

When you cough, notice how the hard 'c' at the start of the word echoes the sharp sound at the beginning of a real-life cough.

Feel how the soft sounds in 'whisper' reflect the gentle sounds you would use to talk to someone in a quiet voice.

In a text, onomatopoeic words can bring a scene to life, helping readers imagine sounds as if they can actually hear them. In a poem about rain on a roof, for example, words like 'pitter-patter' and 'drip' can make someone feel as if they're experiencing that rain directly.

This is particularly useful for making dramatic points. Compare the following sentences:

"Bang! He closed the door.''

"He closed the door suddenly."

Which one has more impact? The first sentence could make the reader react strongly - or even jump in surprise - as it mirrors the abrupt sound of a door being slammed. 

We come across many, many examples of onomatopoeia in our daily lives. For instance: click, zap, tick-tock, knock, buzz, moo, woof, hiss, pop, boom, hum, giggle, splash, slosh, whoosh and crackle.

Can you think of other examples?

Onomatopoeia: Words whose sound suggest its meaning.

Onomatopoeia examples:

The bees buzzed by flying back to their hive.

Click the button to take the picture.

The pig squealed when it saw the dog coming.

Hi Dolores, Onomatopoeia refers to words that are written how they sound. For example ‘whoops’ or ‘bang’. They are useful in describing sounds through language.

Onomatopoeia is when a word sounds the same as the noise that it makes e.g. bang, crash

Hi Dolores,

Onomatopoeia are words that describe sounds, such as,

"bark" - this word describes the sound that a dog makes.

"quack quack" - this word describes the sound that a duck makes.

"woosh!" - the sound of something moving very fast.

"clap" - the sound of hitting the palms of your hands together.

There are many words that describe sounds. Try to write down three 'sound words' to help you remember the meaning of Onomatopoeia. Writing down meanings of words by hand in a notebook or workbook is a great memory technique.

Another good memory technique to remember what an Onomatopoeia is, just think of the question: "Which sound does a dog make?"

I hope this is helpful to you!

- Jonothon-Paul Jones.

Onomatopoeia occurs when the pronunciation of a word sounds like the action which it describes. Examples are "buzz", the sound of bees; the "swish" of a curtain being drawn; "sizzle" the sound of bacon frying.

Onomatopoeia is a language technique wherein a word or phrase sounds like the thing that it is describing. For example, if you say the word 'zip' out loud, it literally sounds like the noise that is made when a coat is fastened quickly. A good example of onomatopoeia can be found with animal noises - in the UK, we use the words 'woof' and 'moo' as our best attempts at writing down what these animal noises sound like. Interestingly, these words differ in other languages, but that's a conversation for another time. Typically, onomatopoeia is used to add sensory detail to scenes - bacon might 'crackle,' lemonade might 'fizz' - or to amplify tension in moments of suspense - a door might 'bang' open, a thundercloud might 'rumble.' It is a tricky word to spell, but when remembering what it means, it might be worth thinking about the phrase: onomatopoeia, it says what you hear.