sibilant

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“
A slight aspirate preceding and modifying the sibilant, which is, however, the stronger of the two consonants; e.g. hsing = hissing without the first i j_.

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Definitions (8)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. adjective Of, characterized by, or producing a hissing sound like that of (s) or (sh): the sibilant consonants; a sibilant bird call.
  2. noun A sibilant speech sound, such as English (s), (sh), (z), or (zh).

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (3)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (50)

  • Now it spoke with a sibilant, ghostly cadence Carberry--now you have seen a demonstration of my power! —  043 - Cold Death
  • There was also the soft, sibilant, wet-lipped voice of fear whispering in her ear. —  R. D. Wingfield - Frost at Christmas
  • Its voice was high and sibilant, with a hissing quality to its words. —  Witch Fire.htm
  • But if a word ends in a sibilant, it is acceptable (especially in journalism) to use a final apostrophe without the additional s {Bill Gates 'testimony}. —  RealClimate
  • These sibilant-free sissies all curl around Drew to hear her latest dating woes, greeting each sad revelation with a different gay cliché rejoinder: "Oh, girl!" —  Queerty
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Latin sībilāns, sībilant-, present participle of sībilāre, to hiss.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. =F. sibilant =Spanish Portuguese Italian sibilante, from Latin sibilan (t-)s, present participle of sibilare, hiss: see sibilate.
 

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/ˈsɪbɪlənt/
by American Heritage

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