Phrase guide

phono-semantic matching

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The borrowing of a word into one language from another which completely or partially preserves both the original sound and meaning but does so via substitution of etymons.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Coined by Ghil'ad Zuckermann in 1999.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 音義兼譯 /音义兼译 — borrowing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 音義結合 /音义结合 (yīnyìjiéhé) — borrowing
  • Finnish: vierassanaa äänteellisesti ja merkityksellisesti jäljittelevä uudismuodoste — borrowing
  • German: phono-semantische Angleichung — borrowing
  • Hebrew: תשמו״ץ — borrowing
  • Polish: kalka fonosemantyczna — borrowing