[ 'dɪfθɒŋ , 'dɪp- ]
■ noun a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another (as in coin ).
↘a digraph representing the sound of a ~ or single vowel (as in feat ).
↘a ligature (such as æ ).
Derivatives
~al -'θɒŋg(ə)l adjective
~ization or ~isation noun
~ize or ~ise verb
Origin
ME: from Fr. diphtongue , via late L. from Gk ~os , from di- 'twice' + phthongos 'sound'.