euphonic

Euphonic is an adjective meaning having a pleasant voice or sound, or relating to euphony. Etymology traces to the Greek eu- meaning “good” or “well” and phone meaning “sound.” The noun euphony refers to the quality of being pleasant to hear.

In linguistics and literary criticism, euphony denotes the effect produced by arranging sounds to yield a smooth, music-like quality. It is often achieved through the use of voiced and sonorant consonants, rounded vowels, open syllables, and rhythmic patterns. Euphony contrasts with cacophony, which describes harsh or discordant sounds.

The term can describe speech, prose, poetry, or music deemed sonically agreeable. It is also used in branding or product naming to convey a gentle or refined impression. The adjective forms include euphonious and, less commonly, euphonic; euphonics can refer to the study or practice of producing pleasant sounds.

The perception of euphony is partly subjective and can vary across languages and cultures. What sounds euphonic in one language may be less so in another due to differences in phoneme inventories and prosodic norms.