semivowel

[ sem-ee-vou-uhl ]

noun

1. Phonetics. a speech sound of vowel quality used as a consonant, as (w) in wet or (y) in yet.

semivowel

/ ˈsɛmɪˌvaʊəl /

noun

1. a vowel-like sound that acts like a consonant, in that it serves the same function in a syllable carrying the same amount of prominence as a consonant relative to a true vowel, the nucleus of the syllable. In English and many other languages the chief semivowels are (w) in well and (j), represented as y, in yell
2. a frictionless continuant classified as one of the liquids; (l) or (r)

Word History and Origins

Origin of semivowel¹

1520–30; semi- + vowel; replacing semivocal < Latin sēmivocālis half vowel

Example Sentences

This spoken language is monosyllabic, and even the initial consonant often only a semivowel, while the whole word takes its significance from the tone of the vowel; thus lu in a low tone would have one meaning, lu in the tone of a musical third another meaning, and so on as the tone ascends through the octave.

From Project Gutenberg

In these words the i represents the semivowel y, into which the original g was changed.

From Project Gutenberg

The diphthongal sound in roi is the vowel o + the semivowel w.

From Project Gutenberg

In roi the semivowel element precedes, in oil it follows.

From Project Gutenberg

The effect of the semivowel y, taken with the instability of the combination ew, accounts for the tendency to pronounce dew as if written jew.

From Project Gutenberg