lenis

[ lee-nis, ley- ]

/ ˈli nɪs, ˈleɪ- /

Phonetics

adjective

pronounced with relatively weak muscular tension and breath pressure, resulting in weak sound effect: in stressed or unstressed position, (b, d, g, j, v, th̸, z, and zh) are lenis in English, as compared with (p, t, k, ch, f, th, s, and sh), which are fortis.Compare fortis(def 1).

noun, plural le·nes [lee-neez, ley-] /ˈli niz, ˈleɪ-/.

a lenis consonant.

Nearby words

leningrad, leninism, leninist, leninite, leninsk-kuznetski, lenis, lenite, lenitic, lenition, lenitive, lenitively

Origin of lenis

1925–30; < Latin: soft, mild, gentle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lenis

The latter valley in this area is inhabited by pocket gophers that belong to another subspecies, lenis.
The Pocket Gophers (Genus Thomomys) of Utah, Vol. 1 No. 1|Stephen D. Durrant
Nutritur vento, vento restinguitur ignis: / Lenis alit flammas, grandior aura necat!
Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources|James Wood
Intergradation with lenis is also shown in some specimens by the widely spreading zygomatic arches.
The Pocket Gophers (Genus Thomomys) of Utah, Vol. 1 No. 1|Stephen D. Durrant

British Dictionary definitions for lenis

lenis

/ (ˈliːnɪs) phonetics /

adjective

(of a consonant) articulated with weak muscular tension

noun plural lenes (ˈliːniːz)

a consonant, such as English b or v, pronounced with weak muscular force

Compare fortis

Word Origin for lenis

C19: from Latin: gentle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012