HOMOPHENE

PRONUNCIATION: (HOM-uh-feen)

MEANING: noun: A word or phrase that, when spoken, appears to be the same as a different word or phrase on a person’s lips, for example my and pie.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek homo- (same) + phainein (to show). Ultimately from the Indo-European root bha- (to shine), which is also the source of beacon, banner, phantom, photo, phosphorus, phenomenon, fantasy, epiphany, sycophant, and apophenia. Earliest documented use: 1883.

NOTES: Here are some more examples of words/phrases that appear the same to someone lip reading:
mark, park, and bark
“elephant juice” and “I love you”
bargain and market
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HEMOPHENE - benzene-based compounds, found in trace amounts in the blood

HO! MORPHENE! - look at that stash I just found!

HOLOPHENE - one who has terrible things happen to him in a drunken stupor (according to the Book of Judith)