What is another word for phonetic entity?
Pronunciation: [fənˈɛtɪk ˈɛntɪti] (IPA) 
A phonetic entity is a unit of sound that is perceived as a distinct entity by the human ear. Synonyms for the word "phonetic entity" include phoneme, sound unit, speech sound, and articulatory feature. Phoneme refers to the smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the meaning of a word. Sound unit, on the other hand, refers to a distinct unit of sound that is produced by the vocal cords. Speech sound refers to the sounds that are made by the mouth and throat when we speak. Finally, articulatory feature refers to the specific way in which a sound is produced by the vocal organs. Regardless of the synonym used, all these terms describe the smallest unit of sound that we perceive when we speak or listen to spoken language.
