sonant

American  

[soh-nuhnt] / ˈsoʊ nənt /

adjective

1. sounding; sound; sounding; having sound.

2. Phonetics. voiced (surd ).

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noun

Phonetics.

1. a speech sound that by itself makes a syllable or subordinates to itself the other sounds sound in the syllable; a syllabic sound (consonant ).

2. a voiced sound (surd ).

3. (in Indo-European) a sonorant.

sonant British  

/ səʊˈnæntəl, ˈsəʊnənt /

adjective

1. phonetics denoting a voiced sound capable of forming a syllable or syllable nucleus

2. inherently possessing, exhibiting, or producing a sound

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noun

1. phonetics a voiced sound belonging to the class of frictionless continuants or nasals (l, r, m, n, ŋ ) considered from the point of view of being a vowel and, in this capacity, able to form a syllable or syllable nucleus

Other Word Forms

• intersonant adjective
• nonsonant adjective
• sonance noun
• sonantal adjective
• sonantic adjective
• unsonant adjective
• unsonantal adjective

Etymology

Origin of sonant

1840–50; < Latin sonānt- (stem of sonāns ), present participle of sonāre to sound ¹. See son-, -ant

Example Sentences

Dr. Gutheil cautions that no accurate explanation is apt to be simple: more likely in Hinckley's mind was a dis sonant snarl of emotions and delusions, which in concert led him to Washington.

From Time Magazine Archive

The terms sonant and surd are, in a scientific point of view, the least exceptionable.

From A Handbook of the English Language by Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)

After enumerating some probable and reasonable annoyances, such as prudent owners would wish far removed from their bee-gardens, he adds … aut ubi concava pulsu Saxa sonant, vocisque offensa resultat image.

From The Natural History of Selborne by White, Gilbert

His hands moved quietly; his voice was clear and sonant; his words were few and polite.

From Life Immovable First Part by Phoutrides, Aristides E. (Aristides Evangelus)

Ebhardt's suggestion that there are two significant parts in each foot-element, viz., sonant and pause, does not seem good.

From Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1 Containing Sixteen Experimental Investigations from the Harvard Psychological Laboratory. by Münsterberg, Hugo