A minimal pair is a pair of words in which a difference in sound makes a difference in meaning, and it is the clearest and easiest way to identify phonemes in a language.

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Minimal pairs are used in phonology to demonstrate that two sounds constitute separate phonemes in a language because changing one sound to the other changes the meaning of the word, thus providing a straightforward method for identifying phonemes.

A Minimal Pair Is a Pair of Words in Which