Definition

The study of speech sounds and how they function in a language; the system of sounds in a particular language or dialect.

Example Usage

The linguist's research on English phonology revealed how regional accents differ in vowel production.

Origin

From Greek 'phone' (sound, voice) + 'logia' (study of)

Fun Fact

While phonetics studies how sounds are physically produced, phonology examines how sounds function meaningfully within a language—a crucial distinction in linguistics.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

Related Terms

Advanced

drive-by review

A hostile or superficial peer review that dismisses a manuscript without substantive engagement, often revealing the reviewer spent minimal time or harbors personal bias. These intellectual hit-and-runs frustrate authors and undermine scholarly discourse.

🎓 Education / Academia
Advanced

Numinous

Characterized by a strong religious or spiritual quality; having an aura of mystery, sacredness, or supernatural power. It evokes awe or reverence, often used to describe experiences or atmospheres that feel transcendent or beyond ordinary understanding.

🎓 Education / Academia
Intermediate

ancillary

Secondary support that does the heavy lifting nobody talks about—like the backup systems keeping your primary operation from collapsing. It's subordinate in title only; often essential in practice.

🎓 Education / Academia
Advanced

noctule

A large insectivorous bat (Nyctalus noctula) found across Europe and Asia, known for its reddish-brown fur and rapid, erratic flight pattern. It is one of the few bat species that hunts in open air rather than among trees.

🎓 Education / Academia
Beginner

novitiation

The learning phase a beginner goes through when entering a new skill or field; basically the trial-by-fire initiation before competence actually kicks in.

🎓 Education / Academia
Beginner

vapor

A gas or mist consisting of fine particles suspended in air; the gaseous form of a substance that is normally liquid or solid at room temperature. It can also refer to insubstantial or worthless ideas.

🎓 Education / Academia

Translate This Term

See “Phonology” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on XShare on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

fat client

An application that performs most processing locally rather than relying on a server—the opposite of a thin client. Li...