cacophonous — having a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: having a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
Pronunciation (IPA): /kəˈkɑːfənəs/
Example Sentences
- The cacophonous alarm clock symphony at 6 AM made me question my life choices.
- The construction site's cacophonous orchestra performed from dawn till dusk.
- Her cacophonous singing could wake the dead and send them back to sleep.
cacophonous
ADJECTIVE[/kəˈkɑːfənəs/]
having a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Ancient Greek, combining 'kakos' (bad) and 'phone' (sound), originally meaning 'bad sound'. The term was coined by ancient Greeks to describe harsh or discordant sounds, and has been preserved in English to denote jarring or unpleasant acoustic quality.
Breakdown
kakos- (bad) + -phone (sound, from Greek phonē) + -ous (adjective suffix). The prefix kakos- means bad or evil, phone refers to sound or voice, and the suffix -ous converts the compound into an adjective form.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The cacophonous alarm clock symphony at 6 AM made me question my life choices.”
“The construction site's cacophonous orchestra performed from dawn till dusk.”
“Her cacophonous singing could wake the dead and send them back to sleep.”
“The cacophonous debate in the meeting room could be heard three floors down.”
📚Related Words
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