Wondering what the difference is between the words son and sun? You’ve come to the right place, then. I’ll explain the key things to understand these two homophones while discussing their origins and how to use them properly.
Sun vs. Son
The sun is the big ball of burning gas in the sky each day, while the son means the male offspring of a living being. But let’s dive deeper into their meanings and etymology.
Meaning of Sun
Just look up at the sky during the daytime, and you’ll see the sun. It’s the closest star in the solar system and is responsible for most life on Earth.
You can use the noun in conjunction with the word light to make sunlight and describe the warm rays that shine down on us during the day.
As a verb, however, the word sun is used to reference how you can sit in the light and absorb the warmth into your skin. Sunning or to sun. Here, I’ll show you some examples.
- I love sunning during the summertime.
- My dog loves to sun in the afternoon.
Meaning of Son
When we say the word son, we’re usually talking about the male offspring of someone. But it can also be used to refer to a male individual from a different country. “He is a son of Italy.”
Etymology of Sun
The term sun comes from the old English word sunne and also the Latin word sol. But in Old English, sunne was considered the feminine version, whereas sun was the male or masc version.
Today, we just use the general sun spelling when referring to our big ball of fire.
Etymology of Son
The term son is derived from the old English word sunu, which translates roughly to descendant. What’s really interesting is that across several different languages, the word used to describe the male child is so similar. Sunu, sonr, søn, sonn, zoon, etc. are all words used by Old Norse, Danish, Swedish, Middle Dutch, and more.
Synonyms for Son
- Boy
- Heir
- Offspring
- Child
- Junior
Synonyms for Sun
- Sol
- Star
Son and Sun Used in Sentences
You know what I always say, context is everything. Here are some different ways you can use these homophones.
Using Son in a Sentence
- My son just turned twelve, but he’ll always be my baby.
- When I was first pregnant, we had hoped for a son.
- My son and daughter are the two best things in my life.
- When my son made the honor roll, we were so proud.
- I am my father’s son.
- My husband is a son of France.
Using Sun in a Sentence
- The sun is particularly bright today.
- I got way too much sun at the beach yesterday. I’m burnt to a crisp!
- It’s adorable how my bulldog loves to sun in the hallway every afternoon.
On Monday, NASA released a new video of the sun putting on what looked like a magical light show, otherwise known as “stretched loops.” (TIME Magazine)
Sun or Son: Now You Know
After reading my quick guide, you should have no problem telling the difference between the sun and son homophones. Remember, “sun” is our nearest star, and “son” is a male child. Be sure to look at our other guides on more commonly confused words like this.
Enjoyed reading about these homophones? Check out some others we covered: