ŏn'o-măt'o-pœ'ĭă, n.

(pē'yă), n. [Gr. ὀνοματοποιΐα, from ὄνομα, ὀνόματος, a name, and ποιεῖν, to make; Lat. onomatopœia, Fr. onomatopée.]

1Sense 1. (Gram. & Rhet.) The formation of a word with resemblance in sound to that made by the thing signified; as, to buzz, as bees; to crackle, as burning thorns; the theory that all words had this origin.

2Sense 2. The use of a word whose sound corresponds to the sound of the thing signified.