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sibilant

 - 7 dictionary results

sib⋅i⋅lant

  [sib-uh-luhnt]
Use sibilant in a Sentence
–adjective
1. hissing.
2. Phonetics. characterized by a hissing sound; noting sounds like those spelled with s in this [this] , rose [rohz] , pressure [presh-er] , pleasure [plezh-er] , and certain similar uses of ch, sh, z, zh, etc.
–noun
3. Phonetics. a sibilant consonant.
Origin:
1660–70; < L sībilant- (s. of sībilāns), prp. of sībilāre to hiss), equiv. to sībil(us) a hissing, whistling (of imit. orig.) + -ant- -ant

Related forms:
sib⋅i⋅lance, sib⋅i⋅lan⋅cy, noun
sib⋅i⋅lant⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sibilant
sib·i·lant   (sĭb'ə-lənt)   
adj.  Of, characterized by, or producing a hissing sound like that of (s) or (sh): the sibilant consonants; a sibilant bird call.
n.  A sibilant speech sound, such as English (s), (sh), (z), or (zh).

[Latin sībilāns, sībilant-, present participle of sībilāre, to hiss.]
sib'i·lance, sib'i·lan·cy n., sib'i·lant·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

sibilant  (adj.)
1669, from L. sibilantem (nom. sibilans), prp. of sibilare "to hiss, whistle," possibly of imitative origin (cf. Gk. sizein "to hiss," Lett. sikt "to hiss," O.C.S. svistati "to hiss, whistle"). The noun meaning "speech sound having a hissing effect" is from 1788.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1sib·i·lant
Pronunciation: 'sib-&-l&nt
Function: adjective
: having, containing, or producing the sound of or asound resembling that of the s or sh in sash sibilant speech sound> <sibilant breathing> <sibilant rales>

Main Entry: 2sibilant
Function: noun
: a sibilant speech sound (as English s, z, sh, zh, ch(=t + sh), j(=d + zh))
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

sibilant sib·i·lant (sĭb'ə-lənt)
adj.
Of, characterized by, or producing a hissing sound like that of (s) or (sh).

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Encyclopedia

sibilant

in phonetics, a fricative consonant sound, in which the tip, or blade, of the tongue is brought near the roof of the mouth and air is pushed past the tongue to make a hissing sound. In English s, z, sh, and zh (the sound of the s in "pleasure") are sibilants. Sometimes the affricates ch and j are also considered as sibilants. See also fricative.

Learn more about sibilant with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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