pho·nol·o·gy (fə-nŏl'ə-jē, fō-)
n., pl., -gies.

1. The study of speech sounds in language or a language with reference to their distribution and patterning and to tacit rules governing pronunciation.
2. The sound system of a language: the phonology of English.

phonologic pho·no·log'ic (fō'nə-lŏj'ĭk) or pho'no·log'i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.
phonologically pho'no·log'i·cal·ly adv.
phonologist pho·nol'o·gist n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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