Phonaesthetic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing the relationship between a word's sound and its semantic content, as when certain phonetic features suggest or reinforce meaning
2. Pertaining to the connection between how words are pronounced and what they denote, often revealing patterns in how sounds convey meaning
3. Concerning the link between a word's acoustic qualities and its meaning, reflecting how speech sounds can carry semantic associations

Etymology: "Phonaesthetic" is a modern coinage built from two Greek-derived parts: "phon-", from Greek "phōnē" meaning sound or voice, and "aesthetic", from Greek "aisthētikos" meaning perceptive by the senses, as in the sense of beauty and taste. Put together, the word describes the pleasing quality of sounds in themselves, apart from what they mean. The term is most closely associated with the idea that certain sound clusters seem naturally pleasant or appropriate to certain meanings, such as the "gl-" in words like "glow" and "gleam" suggesting light. The compound itself is formed in the regular English manner, combining the two elements, so its interest lies less in a single event than in the sense it names. Its usage is largely confined to linguistic and literary discussion.