different between cacophonic vs cacophonous

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (kakós, “bad”) + ???? (ph?n?, “voice”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -?n?k

Adjective

cacophonic (comparative more cacophonic, superlative most cacophonic)

1. discordant
2. unmusical

Related terms

• cacophony
• cacophonous

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????? (kakós, “bad”) + ???? (ph?n?, “voice”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /k??k?f?n?s/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /k??k?f?n?s/

Adjective

cacophonous (comparative more cacophonous, superlative most cacophonous)

1. Containing, consisting of, or producing harsh, unpleasant or discordant sounds.
   • 2006, Everett True, Nirvana: The Biography, Da Capo Press (2007), ?ISBN, page 58:

     The first time I saw the NYC quartet [Sonic Youth] was in 1983 for their Confusion Is Sex album, when they filled The Venue in Victoria, London with a cacophonous maelstrom of mangled sounds that still reverberates, more than two decades on.

   • 2011, Fern Michaels, To Taste the Wine, Kensington Books (2011), ?ISBN, page 153:

     […] and the cacophonous clatter of pots and pans accompanied the vociferous complaints of the ship's cook.

   • 2012, Michael D. Breed & Janice Moore, Animal Behavior, Academic Press (2012), ?ISBN, page 199 (image caption):

     A colony of pelicans can be cacophonous.

Synonyms

• inharmonious, unmusical, unmelodic

Antonyms

• harmonious, musical, euphonious

Related terms

• cacophony
• cacophonic
• cacophonously

Translations