Diphthong
/ˈdɪf.θɒŋ/noun
A single vowel sound that begins as one vowel and glides into another within the same syllable.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek, where it meant a vowel sound made of two components, and its history is a reminder that speech was once treated almost like crafted power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
δίφθογγος (díphthongos)
“having two sounds; a double sound”
Late Latin
Latin
diphthongus
“a diphthong, a vowel sound with a glide”
Old French
Old French
diphthongue
“a diphthong”
14th Century
English
diftong / diphtong
“a complex vowel sound”
Modern English
English
diphthong
“a single vowel sound that glides from one quality to another within one syllable”