statice, status

The words statice, status sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Why do statice, status sound the same even though they are completely different words?

The answer is simple: statice, status are homophones of the English language.

statice
  1. :: noun

    See sea lavender.

status
  1. :: noun

    Position relative to that of others; standing: Her status is that of a guest.

  2. :: noun

    High standing; prestige: a position of status in the community.

  3. :: noun

    Law The legal character or condition of a person or thing: the status of a minor.

  4. :: noun

    A state of affairs; situation. See Synonyms at state.

Definitions from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition and Wordnik.

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About Homophones

Homophones (literally "same sound") are usually defined as words that share the same pronunciation, regardless of how they are spelled.

If they are spelled the same then they are also homographs (and homonyms); if they are spelled differently then they are also heterographs (literally "different writing").