English Explanatory Dictionary

consonant

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A sound that results from the passage of air through restrictions of the oral cavity; any sound that is not the dominant sound of a syllable, the dominant sound generally being a vowel.
  2. A letter representing the sound of a consonant.
adj
  1. Consistent, harmonious, compatible, or in agreement.
  2. Having the same sound.
  3. Harmonizing together; accordant.
  4. Of or relating to consonants; made up of, or containing many, consonants.

Pronunciation

kŏn'sənənt /ˈkɒn.sə.nənt/ kän's(ə)nənt /ˈkɑn.sə.nənt/ /ˈkɑns.nənt/ en-us-consonant.ogg /ˈkɔnsɵnəɳʈ/ /kənˈsonəɳʈ/

Word forms

consonant consonants more consonant most consonant

Etymology

From Middle English consonant or consonaunt, from Old French consonant, from Latin cōnsonāns (“sounding with”), from the prefix con- (“with”) + the present participle sonāns (“sounding”), from sonāre (“to sound”). The Latin is a calque of Ancient Greek σύμφωνον (súmphōnon).

Antonyms

disconsonant dissonant discordant

Related words

consonance consonantal vowel semivowel

Derived words

consonantary consonant cluster consonant gradation consonant harmony consonanthood consonantic consonantism consonantize consonantless consonantly consonantness consonant rhyme consonant stem contoid inconsonant linking consonant nasal consonant nonconsonant semiconsonant unconsonant
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