…. Skitterphoto

In English, ‘onomatopoeia’ is a figure of speech in which words are formed by an imitation of sound associated with something .It is a Greek word which means formation of names. Onomatopoeic words are vocal imitation of sounds. These words brings language to life and are fun to use.

Onomatopoeic words

Ahem of clearing throat
Arghh of an angry exclamation
Bang of guns
Babble of children talking
Blare of bands
Boom of cannon
Bump during collision
Bleep of electronic device
Buzz of bees/ phone
Click of door/ window/lock/ camera
Clap of thunder/ hands
Clank of chains
Clangour of hammer
Chime/Cling/Ring/Tinkle of bells
Chatter of teeth/ river/monkeys
Clatter of dishes/ big cities
Crack of whip
Crackle of ice/ fire/ glass/paintwork/ varnish
Crash of waves/ waterfall/ car
Creak of doors
Ding-dong of bells
Flip-Flop of slippers
Gurgle of water/ stream
Hiss of snake/ steam
Honk of horn.
Howl of winds/ wolves
Jingle of coins/ bells
Jangle of keys
Lap of waves / animal drinking
Meow of cats
Moo of cows
Moan of people in distress
Murmur of people speaking in a low voice
Mumble/ Mutter/ Glibber of a person talking
Plop of thing falling into water
Poof of a thing disappearing
Pop of a bottle cork
Patter of rain
Rustle of wind
Rattle of throat/ cars
Rumble of thunder/ waves/ avalanche
Sniff of nose
Scream of person/ engine
Shriek of a whistle/ person
Sizzle of sausages
Slam of door/ window
Slurp of sipping liquids
Snore of a sleeping person’s nose
Stammer of speech
Sneeze of a person
Squeak of a mouse/ person
Splash of oars on water/ water
Swish of silk/ dress/gown
Susurrus of wind
Screech of door /car/ monkey
Tap on the door
Tick of clock
Toot of horn
Twang of guitar/ musical instruments/horn
Throb of the heart
Trickle/ gush/ gurgle/ dip of water
Thud of heavy things falling
Whirr of a machine
Whizz of a bullet/ firework
Zip of a zipper

Sounds of Animals

Certain calls of animals are also onomatopoeic words. Though animals speak the same sounds all over the world different places have different ways of describing them. These onomatopoeic words related to animals often have long vowels like ‘oo’ , ‘ay’ attached to them.

Apes – gibber
Bees – buzz/ hum / drone
Birds – chirp / twitter
Camels – trumpet
Cats – mew / purr / caterwaul (when angry)
Cocks – crow
Cows / cattle – moo / low
Cricket – chirp / squeak
Crows – caw
Deer – bell / bark
Dogs – bark / bay/ yelp /snarl /growl
Dolphin – click
Donkeys – bray
Doves – coo
Ducks – quack
Eagles/ hawks/kites/peacocks – scream
Elephants – trumpet
Flies –buzz
Frogs – croak
Giraffe – bleat / hum
Goats – bleat /maa
Goose – honk
Guinea pig – wheek
Hare – squeak
Hamsters – squeak
Hens – cluck/ cackle
Hippopotamus – growl
Hornet – buzz
Hummingbirds – hum
Horses – neigh/ snort
Jackals – howl
Koala – shriek
larks – warble
Lambs – bleat
Lions – roar
locust – chirp
Mice – squeak
Moose – bellow
Mosquitoes – whine
Nightingales – warble
Monkeys – screech/ chatter
Ostriches – chirp/ bark
Owls– hoot/ scream/ shriek
Oxen – bellow
Parrots – screech/ squawk
Pigeons – coo
Pigs – grunt/ oink/ snort/squeal
Raccoons – trill
Ravens – croak
Rabbits – squeak / drum
Rhinoceros – bellow
Roosters – crow
Seagulls – scream / squawk
Seals – bark
Sheep – bleat
Snakes – hiss
Squirrels – squeak
Tigers – roar/ growl
Turkeys – gobble
Vultures – scream
Whales – sing
Wolves – snarl/ whine/ howl
Yaks – grunt/ squeak
Zebras – whinny