lenis

American  

[lee-nis, ley-] / ˈli nɪs, ˈleɪ- /

adjective

1. 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, andzh ) are lenis in English, as compared with (p, t, k, ch, f, th, s, andsh ), which are fortis.

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noun

lenes plural

1. a lenis consonant.

lenis British  

/ ˈliːnɪs /

adjective

1. (of a consonant) articulated with weak muscular tension

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noun

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

Etymology

Origin of lenis

First recorded in 1925–30; from Latin: “soft, mild, gentle”

Example Sentences

They are exceeded in total length only by T. b. lenis and are approached by T. b. aureiventris and T. b. planirostris.

From The Pocket Gophers (Genus Thomomys) of Utah, Vol. 1 No. 1 Kansas University Publications. by Durrant, Stephen D.

The allusion to Jupiter and Juno is thus veiled: quaeque vos bobus veneratur albis clarus Anchisae Venerisque sanguis, impetret, bellante prior, iacentem lenis in hostem.

From The Religious Experience of the Roman People From the Earliest Times to the Age of Augustus by Fowler, W. Warde

Ingenium cui nulla malum sententia suadet, Ut faceret facinus; lenis tamen, haud malus; idem Doctus, fidelis, suavis homo, facundus, suoque Contentus, scitus, atque beatus, secunda loquens in Tempore commodus, et verborum vir paucorum.

From History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Volume I by Dunlop, John

With a normal attack—the spiritus lenis in contradistinction to the spiritus asper—the glottis is in position for phonation at the moment breath passes through it.

From The Voice Its Production, Care and Preservation by Miller, Frank E.

The ‛ is a very distinct sound in Arabic, but is more nearly represented by the spiritus lenis than by any sound that we can produce without much special training.

From The Hindu-Arabic Numerals by Karpinski, Louis Charles