(in English articulation) a speech sound produced by occluding with or without releasing (p, b; t, d; k, g), diverting (m, n, ng), or obstructing (f, v; s, z, etc.) the flow of air from the lungs (opposed to vowel).
(in a syllable) any sound other than the sound of greatest sonority in the syllable, as b, r, and g in brig (opposed to sonant).
(in linguistic function) a concept empirically determined as a phonological element in structural contrast with vowel, as the b of be, the w of we, the y, s, and t of yeast, etc.
2.
a letter that usually represents a consonant sound.
adjective
3.
in agreement; agreeable; in accord; consistent (usually followed by to or with):
1350-1400;Middle Englishconsona(u)nt (< Anglo-French) < Latinconsonant- (stem of consonāns, present participle of consonāre to sound with or together). See con-, sonant
Related forms
consonantlike, adjective
consonantly, adverb
unconsonant, adjective
Synonyms
3. concordant, congruous, conformant.
Antonyms
6. dissonant.
Examples from the web for consonant
And then you have to couch it in the right terms, to have it be consonant with the other values of the university.
Once you've got the infixes and the prefixes in your head, and the three-consonant root verbs you can construct any word you want.
Select any consonant after you have guessed at a word, and it will appear in each appropriate square in the puzzle.
consonant harmony is then discussed in the framework of traditional, natural, and non-linear phonological theories.
Final consonant clusters are almost always reduced by dropping the second consonant.
The phonation of a consonant is how the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation.
British Dictionary definitions for consonant
consonant
/ˈkɒnsənənt/
noun
1.
a speech sound or letter of the alphabet other than a vowel; a stop, fricative, or continuant
adjective
2.
(postpositive; foll by with or to) consistent; in agreement
3.
harmonious in tone or sound
4.
(music) characterized by the presence of a consonance
5.
being or relating to a consonant
Derived Forms
consonantly, adverb
Word Origin
C14: from Latin consonāns, from consonāre to sound at the same time, be in harmony, from sonāre to sound
Word Origin and History for consonant
n.
early 14c., "sound other than a vowel," from Latin consonantem (nominative consonans), present participle of consonare "to sound together, sound aloud," from com- "with" (see com-) + sonare "to sound" (see sonata). Consonants were thought of as sounds that are only produced together with vowels.
adj.
early 15c., from Old French consonant (13c.), from Latin consonantem (nominative consonans), present participle of consonare (see consonant (n.)).