Definition of onomatopoeia

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< onomastics

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on·o·mat·o·poe·ia    (n-mt-p, -mät-) KEY 

NOUN:

The formation or use of words such as buzz or murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Late Latin, from Greek onomatopoii, from onomatopoios, coiner of names : onoma, onomat-, name; see n-men- in Indo-European roots + poiein, to make; see k^wei-² in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
ono·mato·poeic or ono·mato·po·etic  (-p-tk) KEY (Adjective), ono·mato·poei·cal·ly or ono·mato·po·eti·cal·ly(Adverb)