Home › Glossary › Letter C

Cacophonous echo

Rhyme
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A repetition of sound that creates harsh or jarring acoustic effects

Detailed Definition
Cacophonous echo refers to harsh or discordant sound repetition within a poem. Unlike euphonious echoes that create pleasing effects, these deliberately jarring repetitions employ rough consonants, clashing vowels, or grating combinations to emphasize discord, tension, or unpleasant subject matter through aggressive sonic texture.
Example
Example in poetry:
Browning's feminine rhymes sometimes create harsh effects; Byron uses discordant rhymes for satirical punch; Ogden Nash deliberately creates cacophonous rhyme pairings; Hip-hop sometimes employs harsh rhymes for aggressive effect
Additional Notes
Creates harsh or unpleasant acoustic effects through rhyme. May be used satirically, for Gothic effect, or to match discordant content. Differs from eye rhyme by being intentionally cacophonous when spoken.
Also Known As
Harsh echo Discordant repetition Jarring reverberation Unpleasant sound-return Dissonant rhyme
Skip to main content