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Definition of onomatopoeically
onomatopoeically
/ˌɒn.əˌmæt.əˈpiː.ɪ.kli/
on · o · mat · o · poe · i · cal · ly
Adjective:onomatopoeic
onomatopoeically Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
Syllables
7
• adverb
1
In a manner that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound of the thing or action being described.
Example
"Many common bird names, such as the cuckoo and the chickadee, were formed onomatopoeically from their distinctive calls."
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the adjective 'onomatopoeic' plus the suffix '-ally', ultimately from Ancient Greek 'onomatopoios' ('making of names or words'), combining 'onoma' ('name') and 'poiein' ('to make').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Onomatopoeically. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/onomatopoeically