Definition

A type of speech sound that allows air to flow freely through the vocal tract, often including vowels, liquids, and nasals, and can form syllables.

Example

In phonetics, a sonorant is a sound like 'm' or 'l' that can be voiced and can form a syllable.

Conversation

Have you ever heard the term sonorant?

Yeah, I think it refers to certain speech sounds, right?

Exactly! It's fascinating how sonorants can be syllabic like vowels.

I know, it really shows how diverse speech sounds can be.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sonorant → It is formed from "sonor" (from Latin "sonorus", meaning sounding or resonant) and the suffix "-ant" (indicating an agent or something that performs an action). The word "sonorant" refers to a sound that is resonant or capable of producing sound, particularly in phonetics.

Memory Tip

Think of 'sounding' ('sonor') and remember that 'sonorant' describes something that produces sound.

Visually Confused Words