%thong%

v. t. To form or pronounce as a diphthong; diphthongize. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. diphthongus, Gr. &unr_;; di- = di`s- twice + &unr_; voice, sound, fr. &unr_; to utter a sound: cf. F. diphthongue. ] (Orthoëpy) (a) A coalition or union of two vowel sounds pronounced in one syllable; as, ou in out, oi in noise; -- called a proper diphthong. (b) A vowel digraph; a union of two vowels in the same syllable, only one of them being sounded; as, ai in rain, eo in people; -- called an improper diphthong. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating or belonging to a diphthong; having the nature of a diphthong. -- Diph*thon"gal*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

v. t. To make into a diphthong; to pronounce as a diphthong. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Diphthongization. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of the nature of diphthong; diphthongal. H. Sweet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of changing into a diphthong. H. Sweet. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To change into a diphthong, as by affixing another vowel to a simple vowel. “The diphthongized long vowels.” H. Sweet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; with one sound; mo`nos alone + &unr_; sound, voice. ] 1. A single uncompounded vowel sound. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A combination of two written vowels pronounced as one; a digraph. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Consisting of, or pertaining to, a monophthong. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A vocalized element or letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; voice. ] Formed into, or characterized by, voice; vocalized; -- said of all the vowels and the semivowels, also of the vocal or sonant consonants g, d, b, l, r, v, z, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; voice + -meter. ] An instrument for measuring vocal sounds. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) A kind of blackish seaweed (Himanthalia lorea) found on the northern coasts of the Atlantic. It has a thonglike forking process rising from a top-shaped base. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. thong, þwong, thwang, AS. þwang; akin to Icel. þvengr a thong, latchet. √57. Cf. Twinge. ] A strap of leather; especially, one used for fastening anything. [ 1913 Webster ]

And nails for loosened spears, and thongs for shields, provide. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thong seal (Zool.), the bearded seal. See the Note under Seal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. tri- + -phthong, as in diphthong: cf. F. triphthonque. ] (Orthoepy) A combination of three vowel sounds in a single syllable, forming a simple or compound sound; also, a union of three vowel characters, representing together a single sound; a trigraph; as, eye, -ieu in adieu, -eau in beau, are examples of triphthongs. [ 1913 Webster ]