sibilant (redirected from sibilances)

sib·i·lant  (sb-lnt)

adj.

Of, characterized by, or producing a hissing sound like that of (s) or (sh): the sibilant consonants; a sibilant bird call.

n.

A sibilant speech sound, such as English (s), (sh), (z), or (zh).

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[Latin sbilns, sbilant-, present participle of sbilre, to hiss.]

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sibi·lance, sibi·lan·cy n.

sibi·lant·ly adv.

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sibilant

Adjective

having a hissing sound

Noun

Phonetics a consonant, such as s or z, that is pronounced with a hissing sound [Latin sibilare to hiss]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	sibilant - a consonant characterized by a hissing sound (like s or sh) sibilant consonant fricative, fricative consonant, spirant - a continuant consonant produced by breath moving against a narrowing of the vocal tract
Adj.	1.	sibilant - of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both `thin' and `then') continuant, fricative, spirant, strident soft - (of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh')