Definition

A type of speech sound that starts as a stop and then quickly changes into a fricative. For example, the sounds at the beginning of the words 'child' and 'joy' are affricates.

Example

The sounds 'ch' in 'child' and 'j' in 'joy' are examples of affricates.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about how we produce sounds like the affricate in 'child'?

Yeah, it's interesting how our mouths create those complex sounds.

Right? It's amazing how a stop and a fricative come together so smoothly.

I know! Phonetics really shows how intricate language can be.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Affricate → It is formed from "ad-" (meaning to) and "fricare" (meaning to rub). The word describes a consonant sound that begins as a stop and releases as a fricative, effectively 'rubbing' the airflow after a complete closure.

Memory Tip

Think of a sound that starts with a complete closure ('ad-') and then 'rubs' the airflow ('fricare') to create a unique consonant sound.

Visually Confused Words