What is another word for minimal distinctive unit of sound?
Pronunciation: [mˈɪnɪmə͡l dɪstˈɪŋktɪv jˈuːnɪt ɒv sˈa͡ʊnd] (IPA) 
The minimal distinctive unit of sound, also known as a phoneme, has many synonyms in linguistics. Some of these synonyms include: speech sound, phonetic segment, sound element, and unit sound. These terms all refer to the smallest unit of sound that can change the meaning of a word in a language. Another term that can be used interchangeably with phoneme is allophone, which refers to the different variations of a phoneme that are produced by different speakers or in different contexts. Overall, these synonyms all serve to help us understand the importance of sound in language and how even subtle variations can have significant impacts on meaning.
