What is the term for a word that imitates a sound, like 'buzz'?

A word that imitates or suggests the sound it describes, such as “buzz,” is called onomatopoeia. The term can refer to an individual sound-imitating word or to the process of creating such words.

English examples include animal sounds such as “meow,” “oink,” “roar,” and “chirp,” along with noises and actions such as “beep,” “splash,” “clang,” “hiss,” and “hiccup.” In writing, onomatopoeia is especially common in comics, poetry, advertising, and children’s books because it gives readers an immediate sensory impression.

The word comes from Ancient Greek onomatopoiia, meaning “name-making.” Sound imitation is shaped by the sound system of each language, so the same noise may be represented differently across languages. An English clock says “tick-tock,” for example, while Spanish and Italian commonly use “tic-tac.” Onomatopoeia is often confused with alliteration, consonance, and assonance. Those terms describe repeated sounds in language; they do not necessarily imitate a real-world sound.