Phoneticized

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Written or transcribed so that each symbol or letter stands for a specific speech sound
2. Rendered in a spelling system that follows how words are actually pronounced
3. Set down using a notation that records the sounds of speech rather than conventional spelling

Etymology: "Phoneticized" is the past tense and past participle of "phoneticize," meaning to represent or pronounce something according to the sounds of speech. The verb is built from "phonetic" and the suffix "-ize," so its history is that of its two parts. "Phonetic" comes from the Greek "phōnētikos," from "phōnē," meaning voice or sound, and "-ize" is a suffix of Greek origin, used in English to form verbs meaning to make or to treat in a certain way. Put together, "phoneticize" means to make something conform to sound, which is why the verb is most often applied to spelling reforms and writing systems that aim for one symbol per sound.

Synonyms: transcribe, transliterate