sibilant

[ sib-uh-luhnt ]

adjective

1. hissing.
2. Phonetics. characterized by a hissing sound; noting sounds like those spelled with s in this [th, is], rose [rohz], pressure [presh, -er], pleasure [plezh, -er], and certain similar uses of ch, sh, z, zh, etc.

noun

1. Phonetics. a sibilant consonant.

sibilant

/ 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

noun

1. a sibilant consonant

Derived Forms

• ˈsibilance, noun
• ˈsibilantly, adverb

Other Words From

• sib·i·lance [sib, -, uh, -l, uh, ns] sib·i·lan·cy [sib, -, uh, -l, uh, n-see] noun
• sib·i·lant·ly adverb
• non·sib·i·lant adjective noun
• non·sib·i·lant·ly adverb
• sub·sibi·lant adjective noun
• sub·sib·i·lant·ly adverb
• un·sib·i·lant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sibilant¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sibilant¹

C17: from Latin sībilāre to hiss, of imitative origin; compare Greek sizein to hiss

Example Sentences

But she only lifted a warning finger and made a sibilant sound with her lips, adjuring silence.

From Project Gutenberg

Exemplify the sibilant impurity with such syllables as pish, false, traitress, miscreant.

From Project Gutenberg

But out of the muck-heap I picked five pearls—four sibilant nouns and a name that I knew before.

From Project Gutenberg

Grace whispered, but the sibilant swish of sounds seemed more resonant than an outspoken address might have.

From Project Gutenberg

The tones were first high, then low, never guttural, and possessed a certain sibilant quality.

From Project Gutenberg