Heteronym

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈhÉ›t.əɹ.É™(ÊŠ).nɪm/
• US IPA: /ˈhÉ›t.É™.ɹoÊŠ.nɪm/, /ˈhÉ›t.É™.ɹə.nɪm/

Origin

Coined around 1900, either from -("different") + onym("name") + - or from Ancient Greek ἑτερώνυμος, or perhaps both.

Full definition of heteronym

Noun

1. (linguistics) A word having the same spelling as another, but a different pronunciation and meaning.Except "cleave" does not have different pronunciations: The term heteronym is particularly appropriate for homographs where the various meanings are antonyms of each other, e.g. cleave.''Agape, "astonished" or "wide open," is a heteronym of agape, "Christian love."
2. (literature) A fictitious character created by an author for the purpose of writing in a different style.

Synonyms

• (linguistics) heterophone, homograph