megaphone
UK[ˈmeɡ.ə.fəʊn]US[ˈmeɡ.ə.foʊn]
n
a cone-shaped device used to amplify and direct a person's voice.
v
to speak through or as if through a megaphone.
Morpheme Breakdown
mega
phone
mega
large
phone
sound
Etymology
the word megaphone is a modern english compound formed from two classical greek roots. the first element, 'mega-', derives from the greek 'megas', meaning 'great' or 'large', a term with deep proto-indo-european ancestry related to concepts of greatness. the second, '-phone', originates from the greek 'phōnē', meaning 'sound' or 'voice', which itself traces back to a pie root meaning 'to speak' or 'to make a sound'. the literal combination, 'large sound', perfectly captures the device's function of magnifying the human voice. this transparent greek-derived construction entered english in the late 19th century, directly naming the new invention through its core functional logic.
Analysis
Structure: mega (large) + phone (sound)
mega is from greek, meaning 'large' or 'great', functioning as a combining form. phone is from greek, meaning 'sound' or 'voice', functioning as a root.
Examples
the coach used a megaphone to shout instructions to the players on the field.
her voice was megaphoned across the crowded square, reaching everyone present.
they had to megaphone the evacuation orders over the noise of the storm.