Definition

The quality of having the same sound or pronunciation, often referring to words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Example

In English, the words 'bare' and 'bear' are an example of homophony.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the term homophony in music?

Yeah, I think it refers to melodies that move together, right?

Exactly! It's interesting how different styles can use homophony in unique ways.

For sure! I love how it creates a rich sound.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Homophony is formed from "homo-" (from Greek "homos", meaning same) and "phone" (from Greek "phonē", meaning voice or sound). The word describes a phenomenon where different words sound the same, hence having the same sound.

Memory Tip

Think of 'same' ('homo-') and 'sound' ('phone') to remember that homophony refers to words that sound the same.

Visually Confused Words