lenite

American  

[luh-nahyt] / ləˈnaɪt /

verb (used without object)

lenited, leniting

1. to undergo lenition; be pronounced with weakened articulation, as when the consonant sound p changes to b, b to v, or v to w.

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verb (used with object)

lenited, leniting

1. to cause (a consonant sound) to lenite.

Etymology

Origin of lenite

First recorded in 1910–15; back formation from lenition