euphony

/ˈjuːfəni/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈjuːfəni/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈyü-fə-nē/ (ame, mw)

euphony — noun

1. a soft, smooth quality in spoken words, music, or other sounds that makes them f

1.名詞C2
釋義

a soft, smooth quality in spoken words, music, or other sounds that makes them feel beautiful and easy on the ear.

例句

Adina praised the euphony of the old Welsh poem her grandmother used to recite.

the euphony of + [text/sound noun]

Critics admired the euphony of the choir as their voices filled the small stone chapel.

the euphony of + [collective voice]

同義詞
  • melodiousness

    more strictly about music or singing; less used for prose

  • mellifluousness

    very formal literary register; emphasises a flowing, honey-like quality

  • harmoniousness

    focuses on parts fitting together, not just one pleasant sound

反義詞
  • cacophony

    the harsh, jarring opposite — loud and unpleasant mixed sounds

  • dissonance

    musical or tonal clash; more technical than 'cacophony'

文法句型

the euphony of [N]

用法筆記

Almost always uncountable. Subject of admiration is usually a piece of language, music, or a voice; rarely used of mechanical or industrial sound.

常見錯誤

❌The song has many euphonies.
✅The song has great euphony.
💡uncountable; no plural form in normal use.
❌I love the euphony of the train brakes.
✅I love the rhythm of the train brakes.
💡euphony describes beauty of musical or verbal sound, not mechanical noise.

2. in linguistics, a small change to a sound inside a word, made so that the word i

2.名詞C2
釋義

in linguistics, a small change to a sound inside a word, made so that the word is smoother and easier for speakers to say.

例句

In French, the 'n' in 'mon ami' shifts slightly for euphony when said quickly.

for euphony — common purpose phrase in linguistics

Professor Eleni explained how Latin verbs lost certain letters through euphony over many centuries.

through euphony — historical change

同義詞

文法句型

for euphony

by euphony

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: here euphony is a named process or rule in linguistics, not an aesthetic quality. Often appears with 'for' or 'through' indicating a reason or mechanism for a sound shift.

常見錯誤

❌The poem uses euphony to drop the letter.
✅The poem drops the letter for euphony.
💡the linguistic sense is a reason or cause, not a tool a writer 'uses'.