https://github.com/words/metaphone
Fast Metaphone implementation
https://github.com/words/metaphone
algorithm metaphone natural-language phonetic soundex
Last synced: 1 day ago
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Fast Metaphone implementation
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/words/metaphone
- Owner: words
- License: mit
- Created: 2014-06-20T10:16:27.000Z (over 11 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2022-11-02T08:33:44.000Z (almost 3 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-10-22T11:48:26.435Z (1 day ago)
- Topics: algorithm, metaphone, natural-language, phonetic, soundex
- Language: JavaScript
- Homepage: https://words.github.io/metaphone/
- Size: 591 KB
- Stars: 50
- Watchers: 3
- Forks: 8
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: readme.md
- Funding: funding.yml
- License: license
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# metaphone
[![Build][build-badge]][build]
[![Coverage][coverage-badge]][coverage]
[![Downloads][downloads-badge]][downloads]
[![Size][size-badge]][size]
[Metaphone][wiki] phonetic algorithm.
## Contents
* [What is this?](#what-is-this)
* [When should I use this?](#when-should-i-use-this)
* [Install](#install)
* [Use](#use)
* [API](#api)
* [`metaphone(value)`](#metaphonevalue)
* [CLI](#cli)
* [Types](#types)
* [Compatibility](#compatibility)
* [Related](#related)
* [Contribute](#contribute)
* [Security](#security)
* [License](#license)
## What is this?
This package exposes a phonetic algorithm.
That means it gets a certain string (typically an English word), and turns it
into a code, which can then be compared to other codes (of other words), to
check if they are (likely) pronounced the same.
## When should I use this?
You’re probably dealing with natural language, and know you need this, if
you’re here!
Depending on your needs, [`double-metaphone`][double-metaphone] might be better.
Depending on your goals, you likely want to additionally use a stemmer (such as
[`stemmer`][stemmer]).
## Install
This package is [ESM only][esm].
In Node.js (version 14.14+, 16.0+), install with [npm][]:
```sh
npm install metaphone
```
In Deno with [`esm.sh`][esmsh]:
```js
import {metaphone} from 'https://esm.sh/metaphone@2'
```
In browsers with [`esm.sh`][esmsh]:
```html
import {metaphone} from 'https://esm.sh/metaphone@2?bundle'
```
## Use
```js
import {metaphone} from 'metaphone'
metaphone('michael') // => 'MXL'
metaphone('crevalle') // => 'KRFL'
metaphone('Filipowitz') // => 'FLPWTS'
metaphone('Xavier') // => 'SFR'
metaphone('delicious') // => 'TLSS'
metaphone('acceptingness') // => 'AKSPTNKNS'
metaphone('allegrettos') // => 'ALKRTS'
```
With [`stemmer`][stemmer]:
```js
import {metaphone} from 'metaphone'
import {stemmer} from 'stemmer'
metaphone(stemmer('acceptingness')) // => 'AKSPTNK'
metaphone(stemmer('allegrettos')) // => 'ALKRT'
```
## API
This package exports the identifier `metaphone`.
There is no default export.
### `metaphone(value)`
Get the metaphone code from a given value.
###### `value`
Value to use (`string`, required).
##### Returns
Metaphone code for `value` (`string`).
## CLI
```txt
Usage: metaphone [options]
Metaphone implementation
Options:
-h, --help output usage information
-v, --version output version number
Usage:
# output phonetics
$ metaphone considerations detestable
# KNSTRXNS TTSTBL
# output phonetics from stdin
$ echo 'hiccups vileness' | metaphone
# HKKPS FLNS
# with stemmer
$ echo 'vileness' | stemmer | metaphone
# FL
```
## Types
This package is fully typed with [TypeScript][].
It exports no additional types.
## Compatibility
This package is at least compatible with all maintained versions of Node.js.
As of now, that is Node.js 14.14+ and 16.0+.
It also works in Deno and modern browsers.
## Related
* [`double-metaphone`][double-metaphone]
— double metaphone algorithm
* [`soundex-code`](https://github.com/words/soundex-code)
— soundex algorithm
* [`stemmer`](https://github.com/words/stemmer)
— porter stemmer algorithm
* [`dice-coefficient`](https://github.com/words/dice-coefficient)
— sørensen–dice coefficient
* [`levenshtein-edit-distance`](https://github.com/words/levenshtein-edit-distance)
— levenshtein edit distance
* [`syllable`](https://github.com/words/syllable)
— syllable count of English words
## Contribute
Yes please!
See [How to Contribute to Open Source][contribute].
## Security
This package is safe.
## License
[MIT][license] © [Titus Wormer][author]
[build-badge]: https://github.com/words/metaphone/workflows/main/badge.svg
[build]: https://github.com/words/metaphone/actions
[coverage-badge]: https://img.shields.io/codecov/c/github/words/metaphone.svg
[coverage]: https://codecov.io/github/words/metaphone
[downloads-badge]: https://img.shields.io/npm/dm/metaphone.svg
[downloads]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/metaphone
[size-badge]: https://img.shields.io/bundlephobia/minzip/metaphone.svg
[size]: https://bundlephobia.com/result?p=metaphone
[npm]: https://www.npmjs.com
[esm]: https://gist.github.com/sindresorhus/a39789f98801d908bbc7ff3ecc99d99c
[esmsh]: https://esm.sh
[typescript]: https://www.typescriptlang.org
[contribute]: https://opensource.guide/how-to-contribute/
[license]: license
[author]: https://wooorm.com
[wiki]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphone
[stemmer]: https://github.com/words/stemmer
[double-metaphone]: https://github.com/words/double-metaphone