Anyone who has heard a cuckoo make its distinctive call or a steam train blow its whistle will have an idea what the word ‘onomatopoeia’ means. Put simply onomatopoeic words are words, which sounds like the thing they represent. If we look at our two examples above, a cuckoo’s spring call does indeed sound as though it is saying, ‘cuck’ followed by ‘oo’ and a stream train’s whistle is a very loud ‘choo choo’.
Onomatopoeia is not just an English phenomenon and occurs in most languages. The Latin roots of the word onomatopoeia mean ‘the making of a name’ but it can just as aptly be applied to words that aren’t names. We look at some of our favourite onomatopoeic English words and their meanings.
Onomatopoeia for children
When you think about how children use sounds as they develop speech, it is small wonder there are so many childhood onomatopoeic words. Most parents will be able to tell you about words their offspring have made up and some of these will have onomatopoeic roots. Here are a few examples of onomatopoeia for children:
Baa – the sound a sheep makes
Vroom – the sound a car makes
Hiss – the sound a snake makes
Meow – the sound a cat makes
Quack – the sound a duck makes
Tweet – the sound a bird makes
Tinkle – the sound of water trickling
If you want to hear a great example of onomatopoeia for children listen to the nursery rhyme ‘Old Macdonald’.
Onomatopoeia in nature
Have you ever sat underneath a tree and made up new words to represent the sounds you can hear? If not maybe you would like to try it, it would be a great way to experiment with language. Nature has such a strong impact on us; it is no surprise that the sounds within it have influenced the English language. Here are some examples of onomatopoeia in nature.
Plop – the sound of a stone falling into water
Patter patter – the sound of raindrops falling on leaves
Rustle – the sound of leaves blowing in a gentle breeze
Flutter – the sound of a bird taking flight
Gurgle – the sound of a brook flowing quickly downhill
Onomatopoeia in nature is in popular use in poetry. Read out loud the poem below, how many onomatopoeic words can you find?
A cacophonous cannonade of thunder,
doesn’t it make you wonder?
Blasting buss of blunder,
pitter-patter rain, pouring under,
streets awash like tumult tundra,
lucid lightning flash,
clip-clop heels as people dash.
‘Storm’ by William Thomas Dodd
Onomatopoeic sounds made by people
Achoo – the sound of somebody sneezing
Mumble – the sound of low, unclear speech (try saying ‘mumble, mumble, mumble’ and you will see what we mean)
Slurp – the sound of noisy drinkingor eating
Sniff – a sharp intake of breath through the nose
Ahem – a clearing of the throat that suggests a question or disapproval
Shush – the exhalation sound we make when we want someone to be quiet
What do you think these onomatopoeic people sounds mean?
Ahoy
Babble
Blurt
Croon
Guffaw
Slobber
Onomatopoeic brand names
Businesses that want their name to become a household brand often use English grammatical strategies such as alliteration (words that start with the same sound like Coca-Cola), rhymes (like Lean Cuisine) and onomatopoeia. Some great examples of onomatopoeic brand names include:
Bing – Searching for something online? ‘Bing’ there it is.
Yell – Need a plumber? Just ‘Yell’ and search yell.com
Meow Mix – Cats like it so much they ask for it by name
Wizz Air – Sounds like they are going to get you there quickly
Invented onomatopoeia
Because onomatopoeic words are related to sound we could all make up our own. This is exciting because made-up words are one way that language develops. Take the poem Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll for instance.
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.’
Lewis Carroll
There really isn’t such a thing as a ‘slithy tove’ and we will never know if they ‘gyre and gimble in the wabe’ but with all of that beautiful and imaginative made up onomatopoeia, it isn’t difficult to imagine what Lewis Carroll was talking about.
When you spend time with children you will soon discover that they aren’t afraid of making up onomatopoeic words of their own. Some families adopt these and they end up being passed down through generations.
Write your onomatopoeic words in the comments below.
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FAQs
Onomatopoeic words (OWs) like woof or choo-choo are lexical items with phonological forms that resemble sounds and objects in the real world. Although they are a common feature of child-directed speech across different languages, their role in early language development remains unclear.
What is an example of a cuckoo onomatopoeia? ›
Put simply onomatopoeic words are words, which sounds like the thing they represent. If we look at our two examples above, a cuckoo's spring call does indeed sound as though it is saying, 'cuck' followed by 'oo' and a stream train's whistle is a very loud 'choo choo'.
What is an example of onomatopoeia for students? ›
Some onomatopoeia examples include the words boing, gargle, clap, zap, and pitter-patter. When these words are used in context, you can almost hear what they describe: the boing of a spring, the clap of chalkboard erasers, and the pitter-patter of rain falling on the pavement like tiny footsteps.
What is onomatopoeia 7th grade? ›
Onomatopoeia is a word that names a sound, but also sounds like that sound. For example: boom, honk, pop, crack, cuckoo, crack, splat, tweet, zoom, sizzle, whizz, buzz, hiss, rip.
Is cuckoo an onomatopoeia? ›
The cuckoo's name is said to have an onomatopoeic origin: it is said to imitate the sound the bird makes, and the bird is said to emit the sound [kukuk].
What sounds like a cuckoo? ›
The cuckoo has probably the most distinctive and instantly recognisable call of any bird in the UK. It even says its name! However, in the hullabaloo of spring birdsong, it's surprisingly easy to mix up that distant cuck-coo with the cooing call of the woodpigeon or the collared dove.
What bird makes a choo choo sound? ›
Male Orange-crowned Warblers sing a trilling song of sweet, clear notes. The song can remain on a single pitch or it can rise slightly in the middle and end on a distinctive rising or falling note—chee chee chee chew chew. The song pattern varies enough that individual males can be told apart by the version they sing.
What is the saying when you hear a cuckoo? ›
This iconic sound means that spring has truly arrived!
What is a good sentence for onomatopoeia? ›
My teeth chattered as I made my way through the snow. The wind was howling so loud that it was hard to sleep. The leaves crunched as I walked over them. The hail pattered on the tin gutter.
What is a simple sentence for onomatopoeia? ›
Sentence with onomatopoeic words: The motorcycle screeched loudly and crashed against the blue wall. Just by associating a sound with a scene, you can always evoke onomatopoeic words to make a sentence more meaningful and expressive. Onomatopoeia is helpful in so many ways.
Onomatopoeia is a literary device in which a word is used to represent a sound. For example, the words 'pop', 'crack' and 'splat' are all onomatopoeic. Onomatopoeia can also be used to represent the sounds that animals or people make. Read on to learn more and see examples of onomatopoeia phrases.
What is onomatopoeia 3 examples? ›
Many languages are rife with onomatopoeic words—every animal sound from “bow-wow” to “moo” to “ribbit” is a form of onomatopoeia, as is the “tick-tock” of a clock, the “ding-dong” of a doorbell, a beep, a zap, a hiccup, a hiss, and a cackle. Such words seem to have sound effects built in to them.
What grade do students learn onomatopoeia? ›
Many children's books and TV shows will use examples of onomatopoeia to engage their young audience. This literary device will be taught as part of figurative language during ELA lessons, particularly in grade five for the Common Core Standard L. 5.5.
What is a short note onomatopoeia? ›
Onomatopoeia Definition
Onomatopoeia (ON-uh-MAT-uh-PEE-uh) refers to words that imitate or evoke the sound they refer to. Put another way, these words look like they sound.
What is the most common onomatopoeia? ›
The most common kind of onomatopoeia echoes familiar human noises: belch, burp, grunt, haha.
What are literary onomatopoeia words? ›
Onomatopoeia is one way a poet can create sounds in a poem. An onomatopoeia is a word that actually looks like the sound it makes, and we can almost hear those sounds as we read. Here are some words that are used as examples of onomatopoeia: slam, splash, bam, babble, warble, gurgle, mumble, and belch.
How do you show onomatopoeia in writing? ›
How to Write an Onomatopoeia. Because onomatopoeia is a description of sound, in order to use onomatopoeia, Create a scene which involves a sound. Use a word, or make one up, that imitates the sound.
What type of word is cuckoo? ›
noun. plural cuckoos. Britannica Dictionary definition of CUCKOO. [count] : a type of bird that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds and that has a call that sounds like its name.
What is an onomatopoeia about birds? ›
Tweet, sound of a bird. Woof, sound of a dog.
What is the onomatopoeia of a bird cry? ›
shriek/cry = a very loud, piercing sound made by a bird.
The female has a rich bubbling chuckle, but the male's call is the very familiar "cuckoo". Generally, if you hear a Cuckoo singing you will probably not see it until it stops singing, which is when it flies away from its song post.
What is a cry of cuckoo called? ›
Here is a list of birds and their sounds
| Birds | Cries/ Sound names |
---|
11. | Cuckoos | coo |
12. | Curlews | pipe |
13. | Doves | coo |
14. | Ducks | quack |
46 more rowsNov 14, 2022
What is the most common cuckoo? ›
The common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa.
What bird sounds like a squeaky wheel? ›
That “squeaky wheel” is the signature sound of the Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia, a migrating songbird and summer resident in the deciduous and mixed forests of North Carolina and much of the Eastern United States.
What bird sounds like a squeaky gate? ›
Common Grackles make a variety of squeaks, whistles, and croaks. The typical song, made by both males and females, is a guttural readle-eak accompanied by high-pitched, clear whistles. It lasts just less than a second and is often described as sounding like a rusty gate.
What bird call sounds like a squeaky toy? ›
Brown-headed Nuthatches don't sing complicated songs, but they are plenty vocal. They make tiny squeaks that sound like a toy rubber ducky being squeezed.
What is the cuckoo symbolic of? ›
Symbolism of cuckoo
The cuckoo is the universal symbol of spring in the far East. Meeting the cuckoo for an unmarried individual means a befuddled solitary love or a mate who is secretive and hard to comprehend.
What does cuckoo mean in English slang? ›
Figurative use of cuckoo, which exists as an adjective meaning "crazy" or "weak in intellect or common sense," and as a noun for a person who can be described as such, may be an allusion to the bird's eponymous (and monotonous) call.
Why cuckoo is called a clever bird? ›
This Cuckoo and its entire clan of birds are called the 'Cuculids' from the family of Cuculidae — the supposed dumb and crazy birds. In fact, these are really cunning and crafty birds. They can easily fool and trick other birds into doing what they were supposed to do.
What is an example of a sad onomatopoeia? ›
Some of the best include "boohoo," "blubber," "sob sob," and "waah." Most of these are known as onomatopoeia, which is a word created from the sound it makes.
An onomatopoeia is a word whose sound reflects its meaning. The physical sound of an onomatopoeia imitates, suggests, or resembles the word it describes. For example, if you've ever stuck a pin in a balloon, you've heard the resulting “pop”. That word “pop” is an onomatopoeia because it sounds like what you hear.
What does onomatopoeia mean for dummies? ›
: the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (such as buzz, hiss) also : a word formed by onomatopoeia. In comic books, when you see someone with a gun, you know it's only going off when you read the onomatopoeias.
What is onomatopoeia in English grammar? ›
Hard to spell but easy to use, an onomatopoeia (ahn-uh-mat-uh-PEE-uh) is a word that sounds like what it means. If you think for a minute, you can probably come up with lots of examples. Hiss, snip, thud, clonk . . . Comic books are a great place to look for onomatopoeias in action. Pow!
What are some funny onomatopoeia sentences? ›
I could stop my hiccups while I was driving the car. I was coughing all night. My wife suggested me to gargle with salt water and it worked. The buzzing of bees kept me awake all night.
How do you teach onomatopoeia? ›
Introduce figurative language, specifically imagery. Then relate it to onomatopoeia, using plenty of examples like buzz and hiss. Help students practice identifying it in poetry. Use many examples, highlighting all the instances of imagery and onomatopoeia using different colors.
How do you teach onomatopoeia to ESL students? ›
To begin, students match sentence halves together and underline the onomatopoeia word in each sentence. Next, students put the onomatopoeia words they underlined into the correct categories. In pairs, students then talk about and write down sounds people, animals and things make in their own language.
What is onomatopoeia for ESL students? ›
Onomatopoeia refers to words that have a sound that represents what the word means. They are one way in which new words can be created. 'Splash', 'crackle' 'thud' and 'drip' are all examples of onomatopoeia.
Is onomatopoeia phonological awareness? ›
As well as being more salient in the input, onomatopoeia are phonologically simple and phonetically flexible, and thereby better-suited to early production than many non-onomatopoeic forms.
What is onomatopoeia and 10 examples? ›
As already discussed, the usage of words to describe any sound that is created by a living being, a non-living object or entity is termed onomatopoeia. In some cases, the sound itself is used as the word. For example, 'meow' is the sound made by a cat and the onomatopoeic word to mention the sound of cats is also meow.
What is the difference between alliteration and onomatopoeia? ›
Alliteration is when you use a bunch of similar consonants in a row; assonance is when you use a bunch of similar vowel sounds in a row; onomatopoeia is basically sound effects.
synonyms for onomatopoeic
On this page you'll find 9 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to onomatopoeic, such as: imitative, onomatopoetic, copying, mimetic, mimic, and mimicking.
Is hiccup a onomatopoeia? ›
The word "hiccup" was in use by 1530. It is an instance of onomatopoeia, the imitation of natural sounds by words. Alternative forms of "hiccups" include "hiccough" and "hickup."
What makes a choo choo sound? ›
Choo-choo was the noise made by steam leaving the cylinders, which were mounted down by the wheels. If you've never seen that in real life, you have seen it in movies. A conductor shouts, All aboard, steam gushes about the wheels, and the train starts to move.
Does Dr Seuss use onomatopoeia? ›
Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises is full of onomatopoeia. It's all about the sounds Mr. Brown can make.
Is squeak an onomatopoeia? ›
Animal noises are a fairly obvious example of onomatopoeia. In the English language, dogs bark, lions roar, wolves howl, sheep bleat and mice squeak. (These verbs are also used as nouns.)
Is moaning an onomatopoeia? ›
“Moaning” is one of the most common onomatopoeias that represents complaining (or…
What is an example of a boom onomatopoeia? ›
Examples of Onomatopoeia: Buzz-The bee buzzed in my ear. Boom-The boom of the fireworks scared the baby. Meow-The cat meowed for some milk.
What is the onomatopoeia for falling? ›
'thud' sounds like a falling object hitting the ground.
What are Choo Choo words? ›
Choo-Choo Words are a series of train themed worksheets that provide students with the opportunity to practice building/spelling short vowel (CVC) words.
How many times do you say chugga before choo? ›
Some claimed as many as eight or 12 "chuggas" were appropriate before saying "choo choo". However, if you're going to go by the book written on the topic, it's two "chuggas" before a "choo choo".
Since the shoes apply pressure to the surface while walking the squeaky sound produced is called a 'creak'.
Does JK Rowling use onomatopoeia? ›
Rowling, being the genius mind she is, uses onomatopoeia to the best of its capability through various instances across the Harry Potter series.
What language uses a lot of onomatopoeias? ›
Why Are Onomatopoeias so Important? Onomatopoeias are very important in the Japanese language because they're used really often in everyday life. In fact, the Japanese language has more than 1,000 onomatopoeias! Everyone uses them, from children to adults.
What is an example of onomatopoeia in famous literature? ›
The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe
In “The Bells,” Poe uses quite a few onomatopoeia words. When you read the poem, you have the sound of bells practically in your ears because of this. This classic work of literature is a clear example of the literary device: “Hear the sledges with the bells – silver bells!