cacophonous

From Ancient Greek κακός (kakós, “bad”) + φωνή (phōnḗ, “voice”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /kəˈkɑfənəs/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /kəˈkɒfənəs/

• Audio (US)

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cacophonous (comparative more cacophonous, superlative most cacophonous)

1. Containing, consisting of, or producing harsh, unpleasant or discordant sounds.
   • 2006, Everett True, Nirvana: The Biography, Da Capo Press (2007), →ISBN, page 58:

     The first time I saw the NYC quartet [Sonic Youth] was in 1983 for their Confusion Is Sex album, when they filled The Venue in Victoria, London with a cacophonous maelstrom of mangled sounds that still reverberates, more than two decades on.

   • 2011, Fern Michaels, To Taste the Wine, Kensington Books (2011), →ISBN, page 153:

     […] and the cacophonous clatter of pots and pans accompanied the vociferous complaints of the ship's cook.

   • 2012, Michael D. Breed & Janice Moore, Animal Behavior, Academic Press (2012), →ISBN, page 199 (image caption):

     A colony of pelicans can be cacophonous.

• inharmonious, unmusical, unmelodic

• harmonious, musical, euphonious

• cacophony
• cacophonic