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con•so•nant



Pronunciation: (kon'su-nunt), [key]
—n.
1. Phonet.
a. (in English articulation) a speech sound produced by occluding with or without releasing (p, b; t, d; k, g), diverting (m, n, ng), or obstructing (f, v; s, z, etc.) the flow of air from the lungs (opposed to vowel).
b. (in a syllable) any sound other than the sound of greatest sonority in the syllable, as b, r, and g in brig (opposed to sonant). Cf. vowel (def. 1b).
c. (in linguistic function) a concept empirically determined as a phonological element in structural contrast with vowel, as the b of be, the w of we, the y, s, and t of yeast, etc.
2. a letter that usually represents a consonant sound.

—adj.
1. in agreement; agreeable; in accord; consistent (usually fol. by to or with): behavior consonant with his character.
2. corresponding in sound, as words.
3. harmonious, as sounds.
4. Music.constituting a consonance.
5. Physics.noting or pertaining to sounds exhibiting consonance.
6. consonantal.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

consonanceconsonantal
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