Phonetizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Writes or transcribes speech sounds using a system of phonetic symbols so each sound has its own fixed mark
2. Renders a word or language into a script where each letter or symbol corresponds to a single spoken sound
3. Expresses pronunciation in a consistent notation that shows how a word is actually spoken rather than how it is spelled

Etymology: "Phonetizes" is the third-person singular present form of "phonetize," so it describes someone or something that writes down spoken sounds. The verb is built from "phonetic," which comes from Greek "phōnē," meaning "voice" or "sound," and the suffix "-ize," which turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning to make, render, or treat in a particular way. To phonetize a word is therefore to render it in phonetic script, so that its pronunciation is recorded rather than its spelling.

Synonyms: phoneticize, transcribe, spell