Word of the Day : February 13, 2019

cacophony \ka-KAH-fuh-nee\ noun

Definition

1 : harsh or discordant sound : dissonance; specifically : harshness in the sound of words or phrases

2 : an incongruous or chaotic mixture : a striking combination

Did You Know?

Words that descend from the Greek word phōnē are making noise in English. Why? Because phōnē means "sound" or "voice." Cacophony comes from a joining of the Greek prefix kak- (from kakos,meaning "bad") with phōnē, so it essentially means "bad sound." Symphony, a word that indicates harmony or agreement in sound, traces to phōnē and the Greek prefix syn-, which means "together." Polyphony refers to a style of musical composition in which two or more independent melodies are juxtaposed in harmony, and it comes from a combination of phōnē and the Greek prefix poly-, meaning "many." And euphony, a word for a pleasing or sweet sound, combines phōnē with eu-, a prefix that means "good."

Aired February 13, 2019

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