pho ‧ net ‧ ic /fəˈnetɪk/ BrE AmE adjective technical
[ Date: 1800-1900 ; Language: Modern Latin ; Origin: phoneticus , from Greek , from phone ; ↑ phon- ]
1 . relating to the sounds of human speech
2 . using special signs, often different from ordinary letters, to represent the sounds of speech:
a phonetic alphabet
phonetic symbols