Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

syllabic

[si-lab-ik]
adjective
  1. of, relating to, or consisting of a syllable or syllables.
  2. pronounced with careful distinction of syllables.
  3. of, relating to, or noting poetry based on a specific number of syllables, as distinguished from poetry depending on stresses or quantities.
  4. (of chanting) having each syllable sung to one note only.
  5. Phonetics.
    1. (of a consonant) forming a syllable by itself, as the (n) in button [buht-n] /ˈbʌt n/ or the (l) in bottle [bot-l] /ˈbɒt l/.
    2. (of a vowel) dominating the other sounds in a syllable; sonantal.
Show More
noun
  1. Phonetics. a syllabic sound.
Show More

Origin of syllabic

1720–30; < Late Latin syllabicus < Greek syllabikós. See syllable, -ic
Related formssyl·lab·i·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for syllabic

Historical Examples of syllabic

  • The Chinese have no alphabet, but about 20,000 syllabic characters.

    Orthography

    Elmer W. Cavins

  • It may prove that there are some ten sheets on the register under this syllabic title.

    Dactylography

    Henry Faulds

  • Compare what was said about syllabic m in § 22, and about syllabic n in § 24.

  • Japanese is a syllabic language like our own, but, unlike our own, it is not accented.

  • These four degrees of syllabic and etymological accent are as follows: 1.

British Dictionary definitions for syllabic

syllabic

adjective
  1. of or relating to syllables or the division of a word into syllables
  2. denoting a kind of verse line based on a specific number of syllables rather than being regulated by stresses or quantities
  3. (of a consonant) constituting a syllable
  4. (of plainsong and similar chanting) having each syllable sung to a different note
Show More
noun
  1. a syllabic consonant
Show More
Derived Formssyllabically, adverb
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

Word Origin and History for syllabic

adj.

1728, from Modern Latin syllabicus, from Greek syllabikos, from syllabe (see syllable).

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper