minimal pair


minimal pair

n (Linguistics) linguistics a pair of speech elements in a given language differing in only one respect and thus serving to identify minimum units such as phonemes, morphemes, etc. For example, tin and din constitute a minimal pair in English

min′imal pair′


n. a pair of words, as pin and bin, differing only by one sound in the same position in each word, esp. when taken as evidence of a phonemic contrast. [1940–45]
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