vowel

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vow·el / ˈvouəl/ • n. a speech sound that is produced by comparatively open configuration of the vocal tract, with vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction and is a unit of the sound system of a language that forms the nucleus of a syllable. Contrasted with consonant. ∎  a letter representing such a sound, such as a, e, i, o, u.

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