word
heteronym
HET-er-oh-nim
ˈhɛtərəˌnɪmListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
heteronym
Sounds like
Say 'HET-er-oh-nim'.
Dictionary meaning
A word spelled the same as another but with a different pronunciation and meaning, e.g. 'lead' (the metal) and 'lead' (to guide).
History and origin
Greek — 'hetero' (other) + 'onyma' (name).
Examples
- 'Tear' is a heteronym — 'TEER' (from the eye) vs 'TAIR' (to rip).
Common mispronunciations
HET-er-uh-nimHEE-ter-oh-nim
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