1. relating to speech sounds or the way words are pronounced
2. representing speech sounds with symbols that correspond to pronunciation
Usage: linguistics

Examples

• The teacher used phonetic symbols to show how to pronounce the word.
• Children learn to read using phonetic methods that connect letters to sounds.
• The phonetic alphabet helps pilots communicate clearly over radio.
• She studied the phonetic differences between regional accents.
• The dictionary includes phonetic transcriptions for difficult words.
• Phonetic spelling shows how words actually sound when spoken.
• The linguist recorded phonetic variations in the local dialect.