Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for spirant. Search instead for spirants.
Synonyms

spirant

American  
[spahy-ruhnt] / ˈspaɪ rənt /

noun

  1. fricative.


adjective

  1. Also spirantal fricative.

spirant British  
/ ˈspaɪrənt /

adjective

  1. phonetics another word for fricative

"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

noun

  1. a fricative consonant

"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

Etymology

Origin of spirant

1865–70; < Latin spīrant- (stem of spīrāns, present participle of spīrāre to breathe); see spirit, -ant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That the spirant J was in all cases pronounced as Y there is scarcely room for doubt.

From The History of Roman Literature From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius by Cruttwell, Charles Thomas

Fie for Shame; I can't forbear making Use of that Expression of the Satyrist, Tunc immensa cavi spirant mendacia folles.

From Colloquies of Erasmus, Volume I. by Erasmus, Desiderius

The spirant th corresponding to O. N. ð, and O. E. d.

From Scandinavian influence on Southern Lowland Scotch by Flom, George Tobias

How he would lie! and what lungs he had to lie with! immensa cavi spirant mendacia folles!

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 368, June 1846 by Various

Later, as Latin did not use for the consonant written as v in vis, &c. , was dropped and received a new special value in Latin as representative of the unvoiced labio-dental spirant.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 1 "Evangelical Church Conference" to "Fairbairn, Sir William" by Various

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "spirant" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com