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Descriptive Language

Question

What is an Onomatopoeia?

2 years ago

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215 Replies

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10269 views

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Dolores Haley


215 Answers

Andrew Z Profile Picture
Andrew Z Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

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Besides it being a long word that I still have trouble spelling to this day, an onomatopoeia is a word that is based on the sound the word is meant to describe. If you're a fan of comic books, POW! BAM! OOF! are all examples of onomatopoeia. When figuring out when a word is an onomatopoeia, ask yourself if the word is how you would spell out the sound of something that you hear. I hope this has been a helpful answer!

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Saliha

It is a word that sounds like the sound it describes. For example, the sound a doorbell makes is ding dong.

Najma M Profile Picture
Najma M Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

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Words that appeal to the reader's sense of sound- words that sound the same as they are written eg. zap, pow, ssssh, hiss, bizz, boom, bang, snap, crack, fizz, pop

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Mary Bonett

Onomatopoeia is a word that describes phonetically that which it is referencing. For example "BANG" "Swoosh" or "Tick Tock" of a clock.

Hannah F Profile Picture
Hannah F Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

Passionate Primary school teacher and English specialist to GCSE.

Onomatopoeia is when a word makes the sound it describes, for example:

bang, crash, splash, bark, woof.

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Emily B Profile Picture
Emily B Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

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

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Robert Osborne

A word that is spelt how it sounds. Phonetically.

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Danika Stow-Monk

Hi Dolores! Onomatopoeia is a literary device in which the word sounds exactly like the sound that it makes - Like: Bang, Sizzle, Quack. I also have a really handy tip for remembering how to spell onomatopoeia, sing it to the tune of Old Macdonald had a farm - O N O M A T POEIA! Amazing huh?

Stephen D Profile Picture
Stephen D Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

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Onomatopoeia is simply a word like "clap" which is the sound you make with your hands. So the sound of clapping is the same as the actual word.

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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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Richard Dodd

A word which sounds like the noise itself, e.g bang, cuckoo

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Sonal P

This is the best explanation I have ever found. The examples and way onomatopoeia is explained here is INCREDIBLY easy and memorable!


Enjoy! :)


Onomatopoeia

https://youtu.be/f1b5kCvVBo8

Evangelia S Profile Picture
Evangelia S Verified Sherpa Tutor ✓

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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.

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Mathew P

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.

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