obstruent

[ ob-stroo-uhnt ]

adjective

1. Medicine/Medical. (of a substance) producing an obstruction.
2. Phonetics. (of a speech sound) characterized by stoppage or obstruction of the flow of air from the lungs. Compare sonorant.

noun

1. Medicine/Medical. a medicine that closes the natural passages of the body.
2. Phonetics. an obstruent speech sound; a stop, fricative, or affricate. Compare sonorant ( def 2 ).

obstruent

/ ˈɒbstrʊənt /

adjective

1. causing obstruction, esp of the intestinal tract

noun

1. anything that causes obstruction

Other Words From

• un·obstru·ent adjective
• un·obstru·ent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of obstruent¹

1660–70; < Latin obstruent- (stem of obstruēns, present participle of obstruere ); obstruct, -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of obstruent¹

C17: from Latin obstruere to obstruct