consonant
Syllabification: (con·so·nant)
Pronunciation: /ˈkänsənənt/
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plus the sounds in the following words marked by letters in bold type:measure sing Two other sounds are sometimes called consonants and sometimes semivowels. They are the first sounds in these words:win young The ending of consonant is spelled -ant.
Definition of consonant
noun
- a basic speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed and which can be combined with a vowel to form a syllable. Contrasted with vowel.
adjective
Derivatives
Origin:
Middle English (in the sense 'letter representing a consonantal sound'): via Old French from Latin consonare 'sound together', from con- 'with' + sonare 'to sound' (from sonus 'sound')
Grammar
WritingThere are 21 consonant letters:b c d f g h j k l m n p q r s t v w x y z SpeechIn speech, a consonant is a sound that is made by blocking the flow of air while speaking. For example, the first sound in the word mark is made by closing the lips briefly, while the last sound is made by pressing the blade of the tongue up against the hard palate. There are 22 consonants in spoken English. They are the first sounds in each of the following words:
| bat | char | cut | dip | fat | gut | hot |
| jar | late | meet | neat | pat | rate | ship |
| sip | that | thing | tip | vat | zip |