dissimilation

noun/dɪˌsɪməˈleɪʃən/

Frequency rank: #19,984 most common English word

Meaning

A sound change in which one of two similar or identical sounds in a word becomes less like the other.

Illustration for the English word “dissimilation”

Example sentence

The linguist explained that dissimilation caused the two similar sounds in the word to become distinct over time.

Synonyms & related words

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