sibilant sound

  • 1sibilant — sib|ilant1 [ˈsıbılənt] adj formal [Date: 1600 1700; : Latin; Origin: , present participle of sibilare to hiss, whistle ] making or being an s or sh sound ▪ a sibilant whisper sibilant 2 sibilant2 n technical a sibilant sound such as s or sh in… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 2sibilant — 1 adjective formal making or being an “s” or “sh” sound: a sibilant, fluttering voice 2 noun (C) technical a sibilant sound such as (s, z) in English …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 3sibilant — 1. adjective /ˈsɪb.ɪ.lənt/ Characterized by a hissing sound such as the s or sh in sash or surge. She had a curious habit of prefacing everything she said with a soft sibilant sound. S s s Grace, she said, its just like I was telling Brother… …

    Wiktionary

  • 4sibilant — /ˈsɪbələnt / (say sibuhluhnt) adjective 1. hissing. 2. Phonetics characterised by a hissing sound; denoting sounds like those spelt with s in this, rose, pressure, pleasure. –noun 3 …

  • 5Sibilant — Sib i*lant, a. [L. sibilans, antis, p. pr. of sibilare to hiss: cf. F. sibilant.] Making a hissing sound; uttered with a hissing sound; hissing; as, s, z, sh, and zh, are sibilant elementary sounds. n. A sibiliant letter. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6sibilant — ► ADJECTIVE 1) making or characterized by a hissing sound. 2) Phonetics (of a speech sound) sounded with a hissing effect, for example s, sh. ► NOUN Phonetics ▪ a sibilant speech sound. DERIVATIVES sibilance noun. ORIGIN fro …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7sibilant — [sib′ə lənt] adj. [L sibilans < sibilare, to hiss] 1. having or making a hissing sound 2. Phonet. articulated with such a sound, as (s), (z), (sh), (zh), (ch), and (j) n. a sibilant consonant: a type of fricative sibilance n. sibilancy n. pl.… …

    English World dictionary

  • 8sibilant — (adj.) 1660s, from L. sibilantem (nom. sibilans), prp. of sibilare to hiss, whistle, possibly of imitative origin (Cf. Gk. sizein to hiss, Lett. sikt to hiss, O.C.S. svistati to hiss, whistle ). The noun meaning speech sound having a hissing… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 9sibilant — Hissing or whistling in character; denoting a form of rhonchus. [L. sibilans ( ant ), pres. p. of sibilo, to hiss] * * * sib·i·lant sib ə lənt adj having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or sh in sash… …

    Medical dictionary

  • 10sibilant — I. adjective Etymology: Latin sibilant , sibilans, present participle of sibilare to hiss, whistle, of imitative origin Date: 1669 having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or the sh in sash < a sibilant&#8230; …

    New Collegiate Dictionary