sibilant

American  

[sib-uh-luhnt] / ˈsɪb ə lənt /

adjective

1. hissing.

2. Phonetics. characterized by a hissing sound; noting sounds like those spelled with s in this rose pressure pleasure and certain similar uses of ch, sh, z, zh, etc.

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noun

1. Phonetics. a sibilant consonant.

sibilant British  

/ ˈsɪbɪlənt /

adjective

1. phonetics relating to or denoting the consonants (s, z, / ʃ /, / ʒ /), all pronounced with a characteristic hissing sound

2. having a hissing sound

   the sibilant sound of wind among the leaves

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noun

1. a sibilant consonant

Other Word Forms

• nonsibilant adjective
• nonsibilantly adverb
• sibilance noun
• sibilancy noun
• sibilantly adverb
• subsibilant adjective
• subsibilantly adverb
• unsibilant adjective

Etymology

Origin of sibilant

First recorded before 1660–70; from Latin sībilant- (stem of sībilāns ), present participle of sībilāre “to hiss”), equivalent to sībil(us) “a hissing, whistling” (imitative of the sound) + -ant- adjective suffix; -ant

Explanation

Something that’s sibilant has a hissing sound, like when the librarian says, “Shhhhhhhh!” Sibilant entered English in the 17th century from the Latin word sibilant-, meaning “hissing.” When you listen to a foreign language that’s full of hissy “es” or “sh” or “zzz” sounds, those sounds are called sibilants. The sound is made by forcing air out toward your teeth. Try it: say “sash.” That’s a sibilant. As an adjective, use sibilant to describe something characterized by that hissing sound. Your sibilant whisper probably will be heard by the librarian.

Example Sentences

The sibilant sound of the rattlesnake's tail has long been a movie cliché.

From BBC • Aug. 19, 2021

The insectivorous choruses actually synchronize their sibilant symphonies in a deafening, but gorgeous, hum.

From Scientific American • Jun. 14, 2021

He was sometimes criticised and even ridiculed for never changing his deep, abrasive, slightly sibilant Scottish burr no matter if he were playing an Irishman, an Arab or a Russian.

From The Guardian • Oct. 31, 2020

The mask muffles your voice; the sibilant hiss of oxygen pouring from face masks all over the ER drowns out your words.

From Washington Post • Apr. 13, 2020

I noted a deliberate change in his accent—the softened hiss of the consonants in his words, the dental chh of West Bengali softening into the sibilant ss of the East.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee