Is a homograph sometimes a homonym?

[Jack_Rose]

Dear all,

I found in Macmillan Dictionary that

homonym: a word that is spelled the same or sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning

homograph: a word that is spelled the same as another word but has a different meaning and sometimes a different pronunciation

According to these definitions, I think a homograph can sometimes be a homonym. Am I right?

Yours truly,

Jack

[birdeen's call]

According to these definitions, I think a homograph can sometimes be a homonym. Am I right?

You are absolutely right.

[philo2009]

Homophones and homographs are the two types of homonym.

[birdeen's call]

Homophones and homographs are the two types of homonym.

This is only true if you accept the loosest definition possible of homonyms, i.e. "words that are spelled (and/)or pronounced the same way". It doesn't seem to be a very useful definition to me. There is a nice table explaining the strict senses of these words here.

[philo2009]

This is only true...these words here.

A stricter or looser definition may be appropriate according to need in any given situation, as is also true of many grammar terms.

[Jack_Rose]

Thank you all for your comments. It is interesting to know that there is a clear distinction between homophones and homographs who are children of homonyms.

My plan was to debate on the useless existence of "homograph". But I now think it is fine.

[ManjushaNambiar]

A homonym is a cover term including both homophone and homograph.


A homograph is one of two or more words of different meaning which are spelled in the same way. Homographs may be pronounced the same or differently. Examples: bear (a large animal) and bear (the verb) are homographs which are pronounced identically. While lead (the name of a metal – noun) and lead (the verb) are homographs which are pronounced differently.


A homophone is one of two or more words of different meaning which are pronounced in the same way. Examples are: bear (the name of an animal), bear (the verb) and bare (naked)