obstruent
[ob-stroo-uh nt]
See more synonyms for obstruent on Thesaurus.com- Medicine/Medical. (of a substance) producing an obstruction.
- Phonetics. (of a speech sound) characterized by stoppage or obstruction of the flow of air from the lungs.Compare sonorant.
- Medicine/Medical. a medicine that closes the natural passages of the body.
- Phonetics. an obstruent speech sound; a stop, fricative, or affricate.Compare sonorant(def 2).
Origin of obstruent
1660–70; <
Latin obstruent- (stem of
obstruēns, present participle of
obstruere); see
obstruct,
-ent Related formsun·ob·stru·ent, adjectiveun·ob·stru·ent·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for obstruent- causing obstruction, esp of the intestinal tract
- anything that causes obstruction
Word Origin for obstruent
C17: from Latin obstruere to obstruct
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
- Obstructing or closing the natural passages of the body.
- An obstruent medicine or agent.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
