Definition

Describing a sound that is produced without a burst of breath or aspiration.

Example

In phonetics, the letter 'p' can be pronounced as unaspirated in some languages, meaning it is said without a strong puff of air.

Conversation

Did you know some languages have unaspirated consonants?

Really? I’ve never heard that term before.

Yeah, it means they don't have a burst of air when pronounced.

That’s interesting! I’ll have to pay more attention to it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Unaspirated → It is formed from "un-" (meaning not) and "aspirated" (from Latin "aspirare", meaning to breathe or blow). The word describes a sound that is not accompanied by a breathy or explosive sound, indicating a lack of aspiration.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('un-') having a 'breath' ('aspirare') — that's why unaspirated means a sound without that breathy quality.

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