English
consonant
Pronunciation
  • (RP) enPR: kŏn'sənənt, IPA: /ˈkɒn.sə.nənt/
  • (America) enPR: kän's(ə)nənt, IPA: /ˈkɑn.sə.nənt/, /ˈkɑns.nənt/
Noun

consonant (plural consonants)

  1. (phonetics) A sound that results from the passage of air through restrictions of the oral cavity; any sound that is not the dominant sound of a syllable, the dominant sound generally being a vowel.
  2. A letter representing the sound of a consonant.
    The 19 unquestionable consonants in the English alphabet are B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, X, Z.
    • 1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], OCLC 16832619 ↗:
      Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
Translations Translations Adjective

consonant

  1. Characterized by harmony or agreement.
    • Each one pretends that his opinion […] is consonant to the words there used.
    • That where much is given shall be much required is a thing consonant with natural equity.
    • 1946, United States Supreme Court, Pennekamp v. Florida 328 U.S. 331,334
      This essential right of the courts to be free of intimidation and coercion was held to be consonant with a recognition that freedom of the press must be allowed in the broadest scope compatible with the supremacy of order.
  2. Having the same sound.
    • consonant words and syllables
  3. (music) Harmonizing together; accordant.
    consonant tones; consonant chords
  4. Of or relating to consonants; made up of, or containing many, consonants.
    • No Russian whose dissonant consonant name / Almost shatters to fragments the trumpet of fame.
Antonyms Related terms Translations

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