Which term refers to a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words, such as buzz or hiss?

Which term refers to a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words, such as buzz or hiss?

• A. Oxymoron
• B. Metaphor
• C. Literal
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (D)

Think about language that brings sounds to life by mimicking the noises of the things it describes. Onomatopoeia is exactly that: a word or sequence of words that imitates natural sounds, so you read buzz and hiss and hear the actual buzzing and hissing in your head. This makes descriptions more vivid and immediate. The other terms describe different ideas: an oxymoron blends opposite terms like “jumbo shrimp” and isn’t about sound imitation; a metaphor makes a comparison without using like or as; literal language states things as they are without figurative meaning. So the term that refers to imitating natural sounds through words is onomatopoeia.

Think about language that brings sounds to life by mimicking the noises of the things it describes. Onomatopoeia is exactly that: a word or sequence of words that imitates natural sounds, so you read buzz and hiss and hear the actual buzzing and hissing in your head. This makes descriptions more vivid and immediate. The other terms describe different ideas: an oxymoron blends opposite terms like “jumbo shrimp” and isn’t about sound imitation; a metaphor makes a comparison without using like or as; literal language states things as they are without figurative meaning. So the term that refers to imitating natural sounds through words is onomatopoeia.