Definition

Relating to a type of consonant sound that is produced by forcing air through a narrow channel, causing turbulence.

Example

In phonetics, a spirant is a sound like 's' or 'f' that is made by creating friction in the airflow.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about becoming a spirant in your career?

Not really, but it sounds interesting. What does it involve?

It means aspiring to reach higher levels of expertise or achievement.

Oh, that makes sense! I might consider it if I want to advance.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A type of consonant sound produced by forcing air through a narrow opening, causing friction in the vocal tract.

Example

In phonetics, a spirant is a sound like 's' or 'sh' that is made with friction as air passes through the mouth.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new linguistics class that's starting next week?

Yeah, I heard it's all about different sounds, including spirant consonants.

That sounds really interesting! I always wanted to learn more about how we produce sounds.

Root Explanation

Spirant → It is formed from "spirare" (meaning to breathe) and the suffix "-ant" (indicating an agent or something that performs an action). The word "spirant" refers to a sound produced with a continuous flow of breath, often used in phonetics to describe certain consonants.

Memory Tip

Think of 'breathing' ('spirare') to remember that a 'spirant' is related to sounds made with a continuous flow of breath.

Visually Confused Words