triphthong

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: triph=thong

CIDE DICTIONARY

triphthong, n. [Pref. tri- + -phthong, as in diphthong: cf. F. triphthonque.].

 A combination of three vowel sounds in a single syllable, forming a simple or compound sound; also, a union of three vowel characters, representing together a single sound; a trigraph; as, eye, -ieu in adieu, -eau in beau, are examples of triphthongs.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

triphthong, n.
1 a union of three vowels (letters or sounds) pronounced in one syllable (as in fire).
2 three vowel characters representing the sound of a single vowel (as in b eau).

Derivative

triphthongal adj.

Etymology

F triphtongue (as TRI-, DIPHTHONG)

ROGET THESAURUS

triphthong

Letter

N letter, character, hieroglyphic, type, capitals, digraph, trigraph, ideogram, ideograph, majuscule, minuscule, majuscule, minuscule, alphabet, ABC, abecedary, christcross-row, consonant, vowel, diphthong, triphthong, mute, liquid, labial, dental, guttural, syllable, monosyllable, dissyllable, polysyllable, affix, suffix, spelling, orthograph, phonography, phonetic spelling, anagrammatism, metagrammatism, cipher, monogram, anagram, doubleacrostic, literal, alphabetical, abecedarian, syllabic, majuscular, minuscular, uncial.