digraph

IPA/ˈdaɪɡrɑːf/
IPA/ˈdaɪɡræf/

digraph — noun

  • digraphsingular
  • digraphsplural

1. a pair of letters that represents a single sound when spoken, instead of each le

1.nounB2
Definition

a pair of letters that represents a single sound when spoken, instead of each letter making its own separate sound

Example

Nila learned in class that 's-h' make the 'sh' sound — that is a digraph.

digraph defined by example: 'sh'

Kofi struggled to hear that 'th' in 'feather' is one digraph, not two separate sounds.

Common collocations
  • vowel digraph
  • consonant digraph
  • common digraph
  • digraph 'sh'
  • digraph 'th'

Grammar Patterns

digraph + of + letters

adjective + digraph

Usage Note

Commonly taught in phonics and early reading instruction. A digraph may consist of two vowels (e.g. 'ea' in 'bread') or two consonants (e.g. 'sh' in 'shoe'). Do not confuse with a blend (e.g. 'st' in 'stop'), where each letter keeps its own sound.

Common Mistakes

The word 'ship' starts with a blend.
The word 'ship' starts with a digraph because 'sh' makes one sound.
A blend keeps both letter sounds; a digraph creates one new sound.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • vowel digraph
  • consonant digraph
  • common digraph

Etymology

GreekFrenchEnglish

From Greek 'di-' meaning 'two' and 'graphos' meaning 'written' or 'writing'. The term entered English through French 'digraphe' in the mid-1800s, used by linguists to describe letter pairs that function as a single sound unit.

First known use

1780

1780, in the meaning defined at sense 1