1. relating to or denoting a sound or sequence of sounds that carries meaning or suggests a particular quality, even though it has no etymological connection to that meaning
Usage: linguistics; also called phonaesthetic

Examples

• The 'gl-' sound in words like 'glimmer,' 'glitter,' and 'glow' is phonesthemic, suggesting brightness.
• Linguists study phonesthemic patterns to understand how sounds can evoke meaning beyond their literal definitions.
• The 'sn-' cluster in 'sneak,' 'snoop,' and 'sniff' has a phonesthemic quality associated with stealth or intrusion.
• Many onomatopoetic words are phonesthemic because their sounds directly suggest their meanings.
• The phonesthemic association between 'fl-' and movement appears in 'flutter,' 'flow,' and 'fling'.