son·o·rant (s n  r-nt, s nr-, s-nôr-, -nr-)n. A usually voiced speech sound characterized by relatively free air flow through the vocal tract and capable of being syllabic, as a vowel, liquid, or nasal. [sonor(ous) + -ant.] |
sonorant [ˈsɒnərŋt]
n Phonetics
1. (Linguistics / Phonetics & Phonology) one of the frictionless continuants or nasals (l, r, m, n, ŋ) having consonantal or vocalic functions depending on its situation within the syllable
2. (Linguistics / Phonetics & Phonology) either of the two consonants represented in English orthography by w or y and regarded as either consonantal or vocalic articulations of the vowels (iː) and (uː)
[from Latin sonor a noise + -ant]
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