Written Sound
Onomatopoeia Dictionary
Words that sound like the thing they mean: Imitative words. From the Greek "onoma" (name) and "poiein" (to make)
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ah

interjection used to express delight, relief, regret, or contempt

human

bbvvvvvvvvvvvvvnnnnnn

The sound of an activated but motionless lightsaber in Star Wars movies. Also: nnnnnnnn Reddit

saber weapon

beep beep beep beep beep beep whirrrffftt bonk

Sound of a forklift (From Diggers go by Steve light). All caps in the book BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP WHIRRRFFFTT BONK

engine lift truck automotive

beep beep beep beep screeeech ruuurrrump pa-lump

Sounds made by a dump truck (Diggers go by Steve light, all caps in the book BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP SCREEEECH RUUURRRUMP PA-LUMP

truck dump rubble dirt stone sand engine

bling bling

the "sound" of light reflecting off shiny expensive objects, such as diamonds. this is a rare example of "non-auditory onomatopoeia". another example: shiiin

misc

boop

A light tap or bump on the nose in a cute way. This word is an ideophone, meaning that it evokes the idea of sound to describe phenomena that do not necessarily have sound. While not technically onomatopoeia, it is used like onomatopoeia. know your meme

animal body meme

chit-chat

light, informal conversation

human

chug chugchug chugchug mmmoooosh

sound of a steamroller (Diggers go by Steve light. All caps in the book CHUG CHUGCHUG CHUGCHUG MMMMOOOOSH)

engine equipment road

CHUGGA chugga chugga CHUGGA chugga chugga CHOO CHOOOOOOO

steam engine or train. from this book:
Trans go, by Steve Light
Click here for more train sounds

machine movement

chumma chumma chumma, hufft hufft, falump

Sounds made by an excavator (From Diggers go by Steve light). In the book all caps CHUMMA CHUMMA CHUMMA, HUFFT HUFFT FALUMP

engine metal digging

click

1. slight sharp sound, eg. camera making a photo. 2. nonvocal suction sound in some languages, 3. to talk noisily or rapidly. The sound made by dolphins is also called "clicking".
In the media: click it or ticket is the name and slogan of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration campaign aimed at increasing the use of seat belts among young people in the United States. Also: "clunk click, every trip (click the seatbelt on after clunking the car door closed; UK campaign) and: "click, clack, front and back" (click, clack of connecting the seatbelts; AU campaign)

human animal automotive

crackle

1. To make a succession of slight sharp snapping noises: a fire crackling in the wood stove. 2. To show liveliness, energy, or intensity: a book that crackles with humor. 3. To become covered with a network of fine cracks; craze. v.tr. 1. To crush (paper, for example) with sharp snapping sounds. 2. To cause (china, for example) to become covered with a network of fine cracks.
in the media: Snap, Crackle, and Pop are the cartoon mascots of Kellogg's breakfast cereal Rice Krispies. They are named after the sound rice krispies make when they are dropped in a bowl of milk

dab

to strike with soft pressure

light_hit

dot a dot dot

sound of rain drops hitting a window pane (in the poem Weather by Eve Merriam, in Noisy poems by Jill Bennett). More rain sounds

light_hit weather liquid water

Ffffkrrrrshhzzzwooooom..woom..woooom..

Sounds of a lightsaber (Star Wars movies) Reddit

weapon saber sword

flash

1. sudden burst of flame or light, 2. sudden rush of water

explosion liquid

flibbertigibbet

A flighty or whimsical person, usually a young woman. In modern use, it is used as a slang term, especially in Yorkshire, for a gossipy or overly talkative person. Its origin is in a meaningless representation of chattering.

human conversation

flick

a light sharp jerky stroke or movement

light_hit movement

flick a flack fleck

sound of rain drops hitting a window pane (in the poem Weather by Eve Merriam, in Noisy poems by Jill Bennett). More rain sounds

light_hit weather liquid water

grrrakka kkakkakkakkakkakkakk akkakkakk kkakka akk

Sounds made by a jackhammer (From Diggers go by Steve light). In the book all caps GRRRAKKA KKAKKAKKAKKAKKAKKAKK AKKAKKAKKAKK AKKAKKAKK AKKA KKAKKA AKK

engine metal

hee!

laughter. sometimes slightly naughty, e.g. when used after pulling a naughty prank. Also used with multiple hees: heeheehee!

hhhhrrrrrrnnnnngggg

sound of the goal light and siren in a hockey game (ref)

sports hockey goal alarm siren tone

jingle

1. to make a light clinking or tinkling metallic sound, 2. to rhyme or sound in a catchy repetitious manner 3. brief musical tune to mark the beginning of a show or segment of a show

metal music

Nnnnnnnnn

The sound of an activated but motionless lightsaber in Star Wars movies.
Reddit

saber weapon

pat

to strike lightly

light_hit

patter

to make a series of light striking sounds

light_hit

PHCKSHIIIIiooW

Ignition of a lightsaber in Star Wars movies. Also: Tshww, pssshhew Reddit
Lightsaber

saber weapon

pika

Pika, also repeated pikapika, is Japanese and means shiny or sparkly. It is an example of sound symbolism in Japanese. The name of the Pokemon character Pikachu comes from 'pika' here meaning the sound an electric spark makes, and 'chu', the sound a mouse makes.
Pikachu

light color

ping-pong

game of table-tennis, imitative origin

hard_hit light_hit

Plip - plip - ploop - plip - plip - plip - plip - ploop

sound of light summer rain hitting the roof (ref). More rain sounds

liquid water rain weather house

pop

sound of rapping, knocking, or explosive. in the media: Snap, Crackle, and Pop are the cartoon mascots of Kellogg's breakfast cereal Rice Krispies. They are named after the sound rice krispies make when they are dropped in a bowl of milk. Find more explosions.

explosion hard_hit light_hit

pssshhew

Ignition of a lightsaber in Star Wars movies. Also: Tshww, PHCKSHIIIIiooW Reddit
Lightsaber

saber weapon

Psssssssss

The sound of a lightsaber being shoved into a door to melt it (Star Wars movies)

saber weapon

rap

to strike, esp. with a quick, smart, or light blow

hard_hit light_hit

RRUUMBLE SCRUNCH SCRUUMBLE SCRUUUNCHH

Sounds made by a bulldozer. From:
Diggers go, by Steve Light

construction equipment machine heavy engine

rustle

to give forth a succession of light crisp sounds

crack

skwee brrumm brrumm skoooooo skooooo

Sounds made by a front loader (Diggers go by Steve light, all caps in the book SKWEE BRRUMM BRRUMM SKOOOOOO SKOOOOO)

engine rubble sand stone dirt metal

smack

to separate wet lips while lightly sucking, thereby producing a sharp noise

liquid water kiss hug

snap

1. to make a cracking sound, eg. snapping your fingers, or a camera making a photo (sound of the shutter). in the media: Snap, Crackle, and Pop are the cartoon mascots of Kellogg's breakfast cereal Rice Krispies. They are named after the sound rice krispies make when they are dropped in a bowl of milk 2. the "sound" of someone's pride being hurt. this is another example of "non-auditory onomatopoeia". other examples: bling bling, yoink and shiiin

hard_hit light_hit crack music

snap-hiss

The ignition of a lightsaber in Star Wars novels written by Timothy Zahn. Also: pssshhew, Tshww, PHCKSHIIIIiooW

weapon sword

spack a speck speck

sound of rain drops hitting a window pane (in the poem Weather by Eve Merriam, in Noisy poems by Jill Bennett). More rain sounds

light_hit weather liquid water

splatt

sound of lightning (in "Mr. Brown can moo, can you?" by Dr. Seuss), for the sound of thunder: see also explosion

weather

stzsssssss

A beam of light. Poet Gino Severini referred to light as going 'szszszszszsz' and 'stzsssssss'. Willard Bohn, Modern Visual Poetry

light beam

szszszszszsz

A beam of light. Poet Gino Severini referred to light as going 'szszszszszsz' and 'stzsssssss'. Willard Bohn, Modern Visual Poetry

light beam

tap

to strike lightly

light_hit

tch, tch, tch

sound of chopping off branches of wood ("Sebgugugu the Glutton: A Bantu Tale from Rwanda", by Verna Aardema)

hard_hit light_hit

tick

a light rhythmic audible tap or beat

light_hit music

tick tock

sound of a clock. also: tic toc

light_hit movement metal

tinker

Possibly of onomatopoeic origin, from the sound of light hammering on metal. Etymonline

Tshww

Ignition of a lightsaber in Star Wars movies. Also: PHCKSHIIIIiooW Reddit
Lightsaber

saber weapon

tup

sound of landing (after a jump). from:
Dragon Ball Z Vol 1, by Akira Toriyama

hard_hit light_hit

twiddle

to touch lightly, or to play with. imitative origin

light_hit

twitter

to utter a succession of light chirping or tremulous sounds, chirrup

animal bird

veery

(Catharus fuscescens) bird species belonging to the larger group of thrushes. voice: Song a resonating, ethereal "da-vee-ur, vee-ur, veer, veer," descending slightly in pitch. Call note is a nasal "phew" or "veer" about this bird

animal bird

vrau, vrau

Sound of a lightsaber swinging through the air in Star Wars movies. Also: Ffffkrrrrshhzzzwooooom..woom..woooom..
Reddit

saber weapon

whiff

a quick puff or slight gust especially of air, odor, gas, smoke, or spray

gas

Woom

Sound of a lightsaber swinging through the air in Star Wars movies. Also:vrãu, vrãu Reddit

saber weapon

yay

interjection used to express exuberant delight or triumph

human

yippee

interjection used to express exuberant delight or triumph

human

ZOOOSH ZOOOSH ZOOOOOOOSH DING DING DING

diesel train. from this book:
Trans go, by Steve Light
Click here for more train sounds

locomotive antique old engine


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