nearhomonym
Nearhomonym is a term used in some linguistic and lexicographic discussions to describe a pair of words that are extremely close in form or sound but are not exact homonyms. The concept is not universally standardized, and its precise boundaries vary by author. In general, nearhomonyms are words that nearly share the same pronunciation or spelling while maintaining distinct meanings, but they do not meet the formal criteria of homonyms.
The term can cover several related ideas. One sense emphasizes phonetic closeness: two words that sound almost
Because nearhomonymy overlaps with other concepts, many linguists prefer to use established terms such as near-homophones,