Phonesthemic (adj)
fo-nes-thee-mik
(of a speech sound) shared by a set of echoic or symbolic words, as the sn- of sneer, snarl, snatch, snide, snitch, snoop, etc.
phonestheme such a sound or group of sounds (coined by J. R. Firth in 1930; apparently phon- + (a)esth(etic) + -eme ) + -ic
Example sentences
“I love the feeling of saying phonesthemic words like slippery, slithery, slimy, snake.”
Kathryn Stockett, the author of multi-million selling hit novel, The Help is returning with a new, highly-anticipated novel. The Calamity Club, publishing next year, will be Stockett’s first novel since…







