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

plural

lenes

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

The large series now available from Nephi and nearby localities do show some intergradation with lenis, in that four characters are more as in lenis and contractus and seven characters are more as in albicaudatus.

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

Remarks.—Twenty-one animals obtained from Lynndyl, Millard County, are all intergrades between lenis and aureiventris.

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

The modern Cubans pronounce it like the English w with the spiritus lenis.

From The Arawack Language of Guiana in its Linguistic and Ethnological Relations by Brinton, Daniel Garrison

The length of the skull is second only to that of lenis as also is the length and breadth of the rostrum relative to the basilar length.

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

Hence is quietus allied in sense with otiosus, segnis, languidus; whereas tranquillus with lenis, placidus, moderatus.

From Döderlein's Hand-book of Latin Synonymes by Döderlein, Ludwig