apophony UK /əˈpɒfəni/US /əˈpɑfəni/ noun1 •Modification of an internal vowel sound in a word or linguistic root, especially so as to establish a lexical distinction.Cinglar has the merit of referring to a back and forth movement, which one might suppose is suggested by the apophony of zinguizangue […] — 1986 formsapophonies