Pronunciation: ˌ ä-n ə - ˌ mä-t ə - ' p ē - ə , - ˌ ma-
Function: noun
Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek onomatopoiia, from onomat-, onoma name + poiein to make ― more at POET
Date: circa 1577
1 : the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (as buzz, hiss )
2 : the use of words whose sound suggests the sense
– on · o · mato · poe · ic \ - ' p ē -ik \ or on · o · mato · po · et · ic \ -p ō - ' e-tik \ adjective
– on · o · mato · poe · i · cal · ly \ - ' p ē - ə -k( ə -)l ē \ or on · o · mato · po · et · i · cal · ly \ -p ō - ' e-ti-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb