# diphthong

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɪfˌθɒŋ(ɡ)/ · frequency rank #85,178

## Definitions
1. A complex vowel sound that begins with the sound of one vowel and ends with the sound of another vowel, in the same syllable.
2. A diaphoneme realized as a two-target vowel in some but not necessarily all dialects.
3. A vowel digraph or ligature.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From French diphtongue, from Late Latin diphthongus, from Ancient Greek δίφθογγος (díphthongos, “two sounds”), from δίς (dís, “twice”) + φθόγγος (phthóngos, “sound”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/diphthong