plosivePronunciation: /ˈpləʊsɪv, -z-/ PhoneticsDefinition of plosive adjective denoting a consonant that is produced by stopping the airflow using the lips, teeth, or palate, followed by a sudden release of air. noun a plosive speech sound. The basic plosives in English are t, k, and p (voiceless) and d, g, and b (voiced). Origin: late 19th century: shortening of explosiveplosive in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of plosive in the US English dictionary