Definition

Describing a speech sound that is produced with vibration of the vocal cords.

Example

The letter 'm' is a sonant because it is voiced when pronounced.

Conversation

Have you ever noticed how some letters are more sonant than others?

Yeah, it’s interesting how some sounds just stand out in speech.

Exactly! I find that sonant sounds are often easier to pronounce too.

For sure! They definitely give words a clearer tone.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A type of speech sound that is produced with vocal cord vibration, often found in consonants.

Example

In linguistics, a sonant is a sound that can function as a vowel in certain contexts.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about how every word has a vowel and a sonant?

Yeah, I guess that's true, but I never really paid attention to it.

It's interesting to think about the role of the sonant sounds in our speech.

Root Explanation

**Sonant** → It is formed from "sonare" (meaning to sound) and the suffix "-ant" (indicating an agent or something that performs an action). The word "sonant" refers to something that produces sound or is characterized by sound.

Memory Tip

Think of 'sounding' ('sonare') to remember that 'sonant' means something that produces sound.

Visually Confused Words