Orthoepic

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌɔːθəʊˈɛpɪk/

Definitions

1. Concerned with the correct and precise pronunciation of words, this term encompasses the study of phonetics and articulation in spoken language
2. Related to the accurate and clear enunciation of speech, it involves the rules and conventions that guide proper pronunciation in communication
3. Pertaining to the study of correct pronunciation, this concept involves phonetic rules and precise articulation in spoken language usage

Etymology: "Orthoepic" is a straightforward formation: it is built from "orthoepy" with the English adjective-forming suffix "-ic" added at the end. The base word "orthoepy" comes from Greek roots meaning "correct" (orthos) and "speech" or "utterance" (epos), so the whole word literally means something like "correct speaking." Ancient Greeks would have recognised both pieces, but the combined technical sense was built later by English writers who needed a precise term for the study of pronunciation standards. The suffix does most of the work here. "-ic" simply turns the noun into an adjective meaning "relating to" the noun's subject, so an orthoepic rule is one that belongs to orthoepy. The word is mainly found in linguistics, lexicography and dictionary-making, where editors must decide how a word should be spoken.