diphthong

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diphthong a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another (as in coin, loud, and side). Also, a digraph representing the sound of a diphthong or single vowel (as in feat); a compound vowel character; a ligature (such as æ).

Recorded from late Middle English, the word comes via French and late Latin from Greek diphthongos, from di- ‘twice’ + phthongos ‘voice, sound’.

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