Cacophony

Noun

Definition: A harsh discordant mixture of sounds.

Synonyms: Noise, Racket, Discord, Clamor

Antonyms: Harmony, Melody

Examples:

The city streets were filled with a cacophony of car horns and sirens.
The band's performance was marred by a cacophony of off-key instruments.

Mnemonics:

Cacophony can be thought of as "chaos of sound."

Etymology:

Origin:

The word 'cacophony' is derived from the Greek word 'kakophonia', which combines 'kakos' meaning "bad" and 'phone' meaning "sound."

Historical Usage:

The term has been in use since the mid-19th century to describe unpleasant or disharmonious sounds.

Related Idioms:

Idiom:

"Cacophony of voices"

Explanation:

Refers to a situation where there are multiple voices arguing or speaking loudly at the same time, resulting in a dissonant and chaotic sound.

Misconceptions:

Misconception:

Confusing 'cacophony' with 'symphony'.

Explanation:

'Cacophony' and 'symphony' are opposite terms. While a symphony refers to a harmonious composition of music, cacophony refers to a harsh clash of sounds.