Heteronym (linguistics)

Common card · No. 330890

A heteronym (also known as a heterophone) is a word that has a different pronunciation and meaning as another word but the same spelling, that is, they are homographs but not homophones. Thus, lead (/lɛd/ the metal) and lead (/liːd/ a leash) are heteronyms, but mean (average) and mean (intend) are not, since they are both pronounced /miːn/. Heteronym pronunciation may vary in vowel realisation, in stress pattern, or in other ways.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Original: Will Heltsley Vector: Cmglee, CC BY-SA 3.0