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Etymological Guide to Phonetics Vocabulary
Geoffrey Stewart Morrison
As with any technical field, learning phonetics involves learning a new set of vocabulary. I don’t
give my students vocabulary tests per se, but I do expect them to be able to understand and use phonetic
vocabulary. Most people learn vocabulary more easily if they have some sort of memory hook that relates
the new vocabulary to something they already know. Another technique is to make up a story that
somehow incorporates the new vocabulary item. If a vocabulary item is morphologically complex, and the
meaning of some if its morphemes are already known, then this can cut down on the amount of new
information to be learnt. My aim here is to provide students of phonetics with aids to learning vocabulary.
Most phonetic vocabulary items used in English have Greek or Latin origin, and so the memory hooks I
present will be the Greek and Latin etymologies of the morphemes making up the English words. Some
vocabulary items which appear to be arbitrary strings of letters on the page, are self explanatory once one
knows the meaning of each of their morphemes.
This is not a book about etymology, and only a minimal amount of etymological research was
conducted during the writing process (even if the etymology is wrong, it may still help a student to learn
the vocabulary). Neither is this a dictionary; the reader is presumed to have obtained the meaning of the
words from introductory textbooks or classroom presentations. In common with a dictionary, however, the
words are presented in alphabetical order and their pronunciations and parts of speech are provided.
This is still a work in progress, should the reader find any errors or have suggestions for additions,
they are encouraged to contact the author at [email protected]
last update: 25 April 2006
© 2004/2005/2006 Geoffrey Stewart Morrison
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acoustic /ækustk/ adjective
Greek •κούω akouoo to hear.
ala /ælæ/ noun
Latin ĀLA wing.
allo– /ælo/ prefix
Greek –λλος allos other.
alveolar /ælviol/ or /ælvilr/ adjective alveolar ridge, alveolus /ælvils/ noun, plural alveoli /ælvilai/
Latin diminutive of ALVEUS a hole or hollow. In phonetics the term has two references: In the
alveolar ridge the alveoli are the sockets that the teeth fit into. In the lungs the alveoli are the sacs
at the end of the final branches of the lungs.
apical /æpkl/ adjective, combinatory form apico–, noun apex
Latin APEX point.
approximant /prksmnt/ noun
Latin PROXIMUS nearest.
articulatory /rtkjultri/ adjective
Latin ARTICULĀRE to divide into joints. ARTUS joint.
aspirated /aspretd/ adjective
Latin SPIRĀRE to breathe.
arytenoid /ærtnid/ adjective arytenoid cartilages but plural arytenoids can be used as a noun,
combinatory form ary–
Greek •ρύταινα arutaina a small pail or large label for drawing water. •ρύω to draw water. Plus
the suffix –oid. The arytenoid cartilages are ladle shaped, if you have a detailed enough picture you
should be able to figure out which part is the handle and which part the bowl.
auditory /dtri/ adjective
Latin AUDIRE to hear. See auris.
auricle /aurkl/ or /rkl/ noun
Latin AURICULA external ear. See auris.
auris /aurs/ or /rs/ noun
Latin AURIS ear.
basilar /bæslr/ adjective
Latin BASILARIS from BASIS base.
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bronchia /brki/ noun, plural bronchi, bronchial adjective
Greek βρόχος brochthos throat.
buccinator /bknetr/ noun
Latin BUCCINA trumpet.
cepstrum /kpstum/ noun, cepstral /kpstl/ adjective
An anagram of spectrum / spectral.
cochlea /kklæ/ noun, cochlear adjective
Greek κοχλίας kochlias a snail with a spiral shell.
corniculate /krnkjulet/ adjective corniculate cartilages
From Latin CORNICULĀTUS horned. CORNICULUM little horn. The corniculate cartilages are little
horns on the arytenoid cartilages. See cornu.
cornu /krnu/ noun, plural cornua
Latin CORNUU horn. The word is related to the English words corner and cornet.
Corti /krti/ proper name, organ of Corti
19th century Italian anatomist Alfonso Corti.
cricoid /kraikid/ adjective cricoid cartilage, combinatory from crico–
Greek κρίκος krikos a ring, plus the suffix –oid. The cricoid cartilage is shaped like a ring.
dental /dntl/ adjective, dento– combinatorial form
Latin DENTĀLIS tooth. Related to the English word dentist.
depressor /dprsr/ noun
Latin DĒPREIMERE, prefix DE– down, plus PREMERE to press. Related to English word depression.
diaphragm /daifræm/ noun
Greek διάφραγμος diafragma a barrier / the midriff. διά– prefix meaning through, between, across
Plus φράγμα fence.
digastricus /daiæstkus/ noun
Latin prefix DI– two, plus GASTRICUS from Greek γαστήρ gasteer belly.
diphthong /dp/ noun
Greek δίς dis twice, double. Plus φθόγγος fthongos a sound.
dorsal /drsl/ adjective, combinatory form dorso–, noun dorsum
Latin DORSUM back. Dolphins have a dorsal fin.
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egressive /irsiv/ adjective
Latin ĒGRESSUS, prefix EX– meaning out of, plus GRADI to step or go.
ejective /idktv/ noun or adjective
Latin EJICERE, prefix EX– out of, plus JACERE to throw.
epi– /pi/ prefix
Greek preposition ¦πι epi on, above, or over. The epicentre is the point on the earth’s surface
directly above the focus of an earthquake. The epiglottis is above the glottis.
etymology /tmldi/ noun, etymological adjective
Greek ¦τυμος etumos true, real. Plus λόγος logos word and thought
Eustachian /justen/ adjective Eustachian tube
16th century Italian anatomist Bartolomeo Eustachio.
falsetto /flsto/ noun or adjective
Italian falso false.
formant /frmænt/ noun
Latin FORMA shape.
fricative /frktv/ noun
Latin FRICĀRE to rub. Related to the English word friction.
genio– /nio/ or /dnio/ combinatory form
Greek γένιον geneion chin. γένυς genus the underjaw.
glottis /lts/ noun, adjectival form glottal
Greek γλωττίς gloottis is the mouthpiece of a smoking pipe. The glottis should look something like
the opening in a pipe’s mouthpiece. See also –glossus.
–glossus /lsus/ noun
Greek γλäσσα gloosa tongue.
helicotrema /hlikotrimæ/ or /xlikotremæ/
Greek ©λικτός heliktos curved, twisted (see helix), plus τρ−μα treema perforation, hole.
helix /hilks/or /hlks/ noun
Greek ªλιξ helix a spiral, a coil, a curl, a twist. ©λίσσω helissoo to turn round.
Hertz /hrtz/ unit of measure
19th century physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz.
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hyoid /haiid/ adjective or noun, hyo– combinatory form
Shaped like the Greek letter υ u (ßψιλόν hupsilon). See -oid.
incus /kus/ or /ks/ noun
Latin INCUS anvil. INCŪDERE to forge.
ingressive /nrsiv/ adjective
Latin INGRESSUS, prefix IN– in to, plus GRADI to step or go.
labial /læbil/ or /lebil/ adjective, combinatorial form labio– , plural noun labii
Latin LABIUM lip.
lamina /læminæ/ noun, plural laminae /læmini/, adjectival forms laminar and laminal, combinatory
form lamino–
Latin LAMINA means a thin plate. Related to the English word laminate.
larynx /lærks/ noun, plural /lrndiz/, adjectival form laryngeal /lrndl/, combinatory form
laryngo– /lrio/
Greek λάρυγξ larungx the upper part of the windpipe. λαρυγγίζω larungizoo to shout loudly. See
also pharynx.
lateral /lætrl/ adjective
Latin LATUS side.
levator /lvætr/ noun
Latin LEVĀRE to raise.
malleus /mælus/ or /mæls/ noun
Latin MALLEUS hammer. Related to the English word mallet.
mandible /mændbl/ noun
Latin MANDIBULA jaw, related to MANDERE to chew.
masseter /mæstr/ noun
Greek μασάομαι masaomai to chew.
mastoid /mæstid/ adjective mastoid process
Greek μαστός mastos breast. See -oid. The mastoid process is breast shaped.
meatus /mætus/ or /mets/ noun
Latin MEĀRE to pass.
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membrane /mmbren/ noun
Latin MEMBRĀNA skin.
mentalis /mntæls/ noun
Latin MENTUM chin.
monophthong /mno/ noun
Greek μόνος monos alone (e.g., monolingual) plus φθόγγος fthongos a sound.
mylo– /mailo/ combinatory form
Greek μύλος mulos millstone. The mylohyoid muscle is shaped like the grooves in a millstone.
nasal /næsl/ adjective, combinatory form naso–
Latin NASUS nose.
–oid /id/ suffix (adjectiviser)
Greek suffix –ώδης oodees / –ειδής eidees from the noun εÉδος eidos shape. An X-oid is something
that is shaped like an X. Form example, a spheroid is shaped like a sphere, and an android
(•νδρώδης androodees) is shaped like a man (•νδρ– is a form of •νήρ aneer man).
omo– /mo/ combinatory form
Latin UMERUS shoulder or upper arm.
orbicularis /rbkulæris/ noun
Latin ORBIS circle, disc. Related to the English word orbit.
oris /ris/ noun
Latin ŌRĀRE to speak. OS mouth. Related to the English word orifice.
ossicle /skl/ noun
Latin OSSICULUM from OS bone.
palate /pælt/ noun, palatini gentitive, palatal adjective
Latin PALAATUM for the roof of the mouth. Possibly related to Greek πλατύς platus flat.
parietal /praitl/ adjective
Latin PARIEES wall.
pharynx /færks/ noun, pharyngeal /frndl/ adjective, pharyngo– /frio/ combinatory form
Greek φάρυγξ farungx throat. Related to φάραγξ farangx chasm or ravine.
phone /fon/ noun
Greek φωνή foonee the sound of a voice. Related to the English word telephone.
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phoneme /fonim/ noun
Greek φώνημα fooneema something which is spoken. See also phone.
phonetics /fntks/ noun, phonetic adjective
Greek φωνήτικος fooneetikos the study of speech sounds. See phone.
phonology /fnldi/ noun
Greek φωνή foonee the sound of a voice, plus λόγος logos word and thought. Phonology is the
thinking about, or mental representation of speech sounds.
plosive /plosv/ noun
French explosif explosive.
process /pross/ noun
An outgrowth, from Latin PRŌCESSUS an advancement. Related to English procession and proceed.
pterygoid /ptrid/ adjective
Greek πτέρυξ pterux wing, plus –oid. πτερόν pteron feather.
pulmonic /plmnk/ adjective
French pulmonique from Latin PULMO lung.
radical /rædkl/ adjective, radico– combinatory form
Latin RĀDIX root.
resonance /rznns/ noun
Latin prefix RE– again, plus SONĀRE to sound.
retroflex /rtroflks/ adjective
Latin RETRO behind, backwards. Plus FLECTERE to bend.
risorius /rsrius/ noun
Latin RĪSIBILIS from RĪDĒRE to laugh.
sagittal /sæditl/ adjective
Latin SAGITTA arrow. The sagittal suture is a serrated line on the top of the skull where the parietal
bones meet, maybe it is arrow shaped.
scala /skælæ/ noun
Latin SCĀLA ladder.
spectrum /spktrm/ noun, plural spectra, spectral adjective, spectro– combinatory form
Latin SPECERE to look at. Originally applied to the frequencies of light.
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stapes /stæps/ or /stepiz/ noun, stapedius noun
Latin STAPEDA stirrup. STĀRE to stand, plus PĒS foot.
sterno– /strno/ combinatory form, sternum noun
Greek στέρνον sternon chest.
stylo– /stailo/ combinatory form, styloid adjective
Greek στØλος stulos pillar. Related to the English words stylus and stool.
taxonomy /tæksnmi/ noun
French taxonomie from Greek τάξις taxis an arrangement or order, and νόμος nomos meaning
something assigned by law or custom.
tectorial /tktril/ adjective tectorical membrane
Latin TECTŌRIUM a covering. TEGERE to cover.
temporalis /tmpræls/ adjective or noun
Latin TEMPORĀLIS genitive of TEMPUS the temple of the head.
trachea /træki/ noun
Greek τράχηλος tracheelos neck.
trill /trl/ noun or verb
Italian trillo from Middle Dutch trillen to vibrate.
thyroid /airid/ adjective thyroid cartilage, thyro– combinatory from
Greek θυρεός thureos a large rectangular shield, the kind that Roman soldiers are usually depicted
carrying. The shield is door shaped: θύρα thura door. Plus the suffix –oid. The thyroid cartilage
is shaped like one of these shields, and shields the rest of the larynx.
tympanic /tmpænk/ adjective tympanic membrane
Greek τύμπανον tumpanon a kettledrum. τύπτω tuptoo to beat.
uvula /uvjul/or /juvjul/ noun, uvular adjective
Latin diminutive of ŪVA grape. Note that this word is NOT uvelum.
velar /vilr/ adjective, velic adjective, velaric adjective, velum /vilm/ noun, veli genitive
Latin VĒLUM veil. Velar applies to sounds in which the body of the tongue approaches the velum.
Velic applies to the velic port, the opening between the velum and the nasopharynx. Velaric applies
to the velaric air stream mechanism.
vestibular /vstbjulr/ adjective
Latin VESTĪRE to clothe. VESTIS clothing. Related to the English word vestibule.
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vocalis /vokæls/ noun, vocal /vokæl/ adjective vocal ligament
Latin VŌCĀLIS having a voice. VŌX voice.
zygomaticus /ziomætkus/ or /zaiomætkus/ noun
Greek ζεØγος zeugos yoke for beasts of burden.