What is onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is when
1. a word sounds like the sound it is trying to describe
2. a new word is formed based on the sound with which it is associated
Examples
1. Words that sound like sounds
| Sheep baa, cattle moo, horses neigh, and pigs go oink. | The bees buzzed around the field. |
| The water fell into the sink with a drip-drop. | The ding-dong of Big Ben rang out over London. |
2. Common words based on associated sounds
| Some cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. | He thumped the teacher in the face. |
| The teacher put a whoopee cushion on his chair. | She was angry so she popped my balloon. |
Exercises
Think of new onomatopoeia to describe the sound of:
a) rain
b) a hungry stomach
c) a computer starting
d) a volcano