n. The formation or use of words such as buzz or murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. [Late Latin, from Greek onomatopoiiā, from onomatopoios, coiner of names : onoma, onomat-, name; see n-men- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + poiein, to make; see kwei-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] on′o·mat′o·poeic, on′o·mat′o·po·etic (-pō-ĕtĭk) adj. on′o·mat′o·poei·cal·ly, on′o·mat′o·po·eti·cal·ly adv. |
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