Meanings
adverbphonetically (comparative more phonetically, superlative most phonetically)
comparative more phonetically · superlative most phonetically
- In the way it sounds, particularly: written to describe the sound rather than the dictionary spelling.
The hard words in the passage have been spelled phonetically.
1 more example
Equipment on a warship set to be upgraded or disposed of was given the code AT-6, or phonetically “eighty-six”.
2025 May 16, Edward Helmore, “What does ‘8647’ really mean? Not what Trump’s supporters are saying”, in The Guardian
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰōnā́
- Ancient Greekφωνή (phōnḗ)
- Ancient Greekφωνέω (phōnéō)
- Ancient Greekφωνητῐκός (phōnētĭkós)
- Latinphōnēticus
- Englishphonetic
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
- Proto-Germanic*līką
- Englishphonetically
From phonetic + -ally.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan fonèticament
- fonèticamentin the way it sounds
Czech foneticky
- fonetickyin the way it sounds
Finnish foneettisesti
- foneettisestiin the way it sounds
French phonétiquement
- phonétiquementin the way it sounds
Italian foneticamente
- foneticamentein the way it sounds
Polish fonetycznie
- fonetyczniein the way it sounds
Portuguese foneticamente
- foneticamentein the way it sounds
Spanish fonéticamente
- fonéticamentein the way it sounds
Swedish fonetiskt
- fonetisktin the way it sounds
Turkish fonetik olarak
- fonetik olarakin the way it sounds
Cite this entry
APA
phonetically. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phonetically
MLA
“phonetically.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phonetically. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phonetically,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phonetically.
Source: phonetically on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.