A sign saying "BANG!" . Learn the definition of Onomatopoeia with examples in English. width=

Have you noticed that sometimes a word sounds like the noise it describes? These are called “onomatopoeias”. Onomatopoeias are fun and easy to use. They help us bring sounds to life with words, making stories, poems, and everyday speech more colourful and fun. This helpful article will give you a definition of Onomatopoeia with examples in English. 

Onomatopoeias are helpful because they can help listeners imagine sounds even when they can’t hear them. For example, if you read, “The fireworks went bang and pop in the night sky,” you can almost hear the fireworks!

 

What is the definition of Onomatopoeia?

An onomatopoeia (say it like this: “ON-uh-mah-tuh-PEE-uh”) is a word that sounds like the noise it describes. These words are great, because they help us hear what we’re talking about. For example:

  • Bang: The sound of a gun.
  • Boom: A big explosion.
  • Smash: A plate breaking.
  • Splash: The sound water makes when something falls into it.
  • Buzz: The sound a bee makes.

The Dictionary definition is “the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss). Visual artist and composer Christian Marclay explained: In comic books, when you see someone with a gun, you know it’s only going off when you read the onomatopoeias”.

 

Where does the word “Onomatopoeia” come from?

The word onomatopoeia come,from the Greek words onoma, meaning “name”, and poiein, meaning “to make”, so it translates as “to make a name or sound” English speakers have used the word since the 1500s. English native speakers often struggle to spell it.

 

What are some common Onomatopoeia examples in English?

Here are some common onomatopoeias you might already know:

Animal Sounds

  • Woof: The sound a dog makes.
  • Meow: The sound a cat makes.
  • Moo: The sound a cow makes.
  • Quack: The sound a duck makes.

Everyday Sounds

  • Tick-tock: The sound of a clock. (Do not confuse this with ‘TikTok‘!)
  • Ding-dong: The sound of a doorbell.
  • Clap: The sound of hands coming together.

Funny Sounds

  • Boing: The sound of something springy, like a bouncing ball.
  • Zap: The sound of electricity.
  • Gulp: The sound of someone swallowing.

Nature Sounds

  • Rustle: The sound of leaves moving in the wind.
  • Crash: The sound of waves or something falling.
  • Howl: The sound of the wind or a wolf.

 

How to practice using Onomatopoeias

You can use onomatopoeias in your writing to make it more exciting. Here’s an example:

Without onomatopoeias: The dog ran into the table and knocked over a glass of water.

With onomatopoeias: The dog ran into the table with a thud and knocked over a glass of water, which fell with a smash.

You also might like to make up a story using as many sound words as you can. For example:

“The cat went meow as the pig approached. Suddenly, a bird flew by, singing tweet-tweet! The pig stepped on a crunchy leaf that went crack.”

You can also watch old Batman fight scenes, as these are a fun example of onomatopoeias being used in action scenes!

 

 


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