fricative

Noun · Adjective
Synonyms: fricative consonantspirantcontinuantsibilantstrident

Open English WordNet

Noun (1)

  1. a continuant consonant produced by breath moving against a narrowing of the vocal tractSynonyms: fricative consonantspirantType of continuant consonant, continuantKinds sibilant, sibilant consonant

Adjective (1)

  1. of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as ‘f’, ‘s’, ‘z’, or ‘th’ in both ‘thin’ and ‘then’)Synonyms: continuantsibilantspirantstridentOpposite hardSimilar soft

Related words duration noun

Word of the day · Sep 28About this word
onerousadjective

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Fric′a·tive adjective

Origin: See Frication.

Phon. Produced by the friction or rustling of the breath, intonated or unintonated, through a narrow opening between two of the mouth organs; uttered through a close approach, but not with a complete closure, of the organs of articulation, and hence capable of being continued or prolonged; — said of certain consonantal sounds, as f, v, s, z, etc. — noun A fricative consonant letter or sound. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 197-206, etc.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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