consonant

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).

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kŏn'sənənt, IPA^(key): /ˈkɒn.sə.nənt/
• (US) enPR: kän's(ə)nənt, IPA^(key): /ˈkɑn.sə.nənt/, /ˈkɑns.nənt/

  • Audio (US)

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consonant (plural consonants)

1. (phonetics) 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.

   The 19 unquestionable consonants in the English alphabet are B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, X, Z.

   • 1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], OCLC 16832619:

     Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.

consonant (comparative more consonant, superlative most consonant)

1. Characterized by harmony or agreement.
   • Bishop Beveridge

     Each one pretends that his opinion […] is consonant to the words there used.

   • Dr. H. More

     That where much is given shall be much required is a thing consonant with natural equity.

   • United States Supreme Court, Pennekamp v. Florida 328 U.S. 331,334 (1946)

     This essential right of the courts to be free of intimidation and coercion was held to be consonant with a recognition that freedom of the press must be allowed in the broadest scope compatible with the supremacy of order.

2. Having the same sound.
   • Howell

     consonant words and syllables

3. (music) Harmonizing together; accordant.

   consonant tones; consonant chords

4. Of or relating to consonants; made up of, or containing many, consonants.
   • T. Moore

     No Russian whose dissonant consonant name / Almost shatters to fragments the trumpet of fame.

• For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:consonant.

• disconsonant
• discordant

• consonance
• consonantal

• vowel
• semivowel
• Wikipedia article on consonants

From Latin consonans.

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /kon.soˈnant/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /kun.suˈnan/
• Rhymes: -ant

consonant (masculine and feminine plural consonants)

1. consonant

consonant f (plural consonants)

1. consonant

cōnsonant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of cōnsonō