spirant

[ spahy-ruhnt ]

noun

1. fricative ( def 2 ).

adjective

1. Also spi·ran·tal [] fricative.

spirant

/ ˈspaɪrənt /

adjective

1. phonetics another word for fricative

noun

1. a fricative consonant

Word History and Origins

Origin of spirant¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of spirant¹

C19: from Latin spīrāns breathing, from spīrāre to breathe

Example Sentences

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 Project Gutenberg

It is classed as a surd spirant, its corresponding sonant spirant being v, which is distinguished from f by being pronounced with voice instead of breath, as may be perceived by pronouncing ef, ev.

From Project Gutenberg

G is the soft spirant, not used in English.

From Project Gutenberg

We find that b, d, g were used initially to denote the voiced stops, but medially and finally they represent spirants, the voiced stops in this case being denoted by c, p, t.

From Project Gutenberg

In Late Latin there was a tendency to this spirant pronunciation which appears as early as the beginning of the 2nd century A.D.; by the 3rd century b and consonantal u are inextricably confused.

From Project Gutenberg