sibilant

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sib·i·lant / ˈsibələnt/ • adj. Phonet. (of a speech sound) sounded with a hissing effect, for example s, sh. ∎  making or characterized by a hissing sound: his sibilant whisper. • n. Phonet. a sibilant speech sound. DERIVATIVES: sib·i·lance n.

sibilant XVII. — L. sībilāns, -ant-, prp. of sībilāre hiss, whistle, f. sībilus whistling sound, of imit. orig.; see -ANT.
So sibilation XVII. — late L.

SIBILANT. In PHONETICS: (1) A CONSONANT characterized by a hissing sound, such as the /s/ in hiss and the /z/ in his. (2) Relating to such a consonant: sibilant sounds.

sibilant (sib-i-lănt) adj. whistling or hissing. The term is applied to certain high-pitched abnormal sounds heard through a stethoscope.

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