phonautograph

P3H4O1N1A1U1T1O1G2R1A1P3H4
UK/fənɔːtəɡɹɑːf/US, US/fənɔtəɡɹæf/US, cot caught merger/fənɑtəɡɹæf/

noun

A device for recording sound vibrations in a visible form.

OriginAncient Greek γράφω (gráphō) ← Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō ← Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- →
Scrabble 24
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Meanings

nounphonautograph (plural phonautographs)

plural phonautographs

  1. historicalA device for recording sound vibrations in a visible form.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Hellenic*pʰōnā́
  3. Ancient Greekφωνή (phōnḗ)
  4. Englishphono-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  6. Proto-Indo-European*tó-
  7. Proto-Hellenic*autós
  8. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  9. Ancient Greekαὖ (aû)
  10. Ancient Greekτόν (tón)
  11. Ancient Greekαὐτός (autós)
  12. Ancient Greekαὐτο- (auto-)
  13. Englishauto-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*gerbʰ-
  15. Proto-Hellenic*grə́pʰō
  16. Ancient Greekγράφω (gráphō)
  17. Englishphonautograph

From phono- + auto- + -graph.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

phonautograph. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phonautograph

MLA

“phonautograph.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phonautograph. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phonautograph,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phonautograph.

Source: phonautograph on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.