Definition of vowel

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Vowel (n.) A vocal, or sometimes a whispered, sound modified by resonance in the oral passage, the peculiar resonance in each case giving to each several vowel its distinctive character or quality as a sound of speech; -- distinguished from a consonant in that the latter, whether made with or without vocality, derives its character in every case from some kind of obstructive action by the mouth organs. Also, a letter or character which represents such a sound. See Guide to Pronunciation, // 5, 1

Lern More About Vowel

L :: L () L is the twelfth letter of the English alphabet, and a vocal consonant. It is usually called a semivowel or liquid. Its form and value are from the Greek, through the Latin, the form of the Greek letter being from the Phoenician, and the ultimate origin prob. Egyptian. Etymologically, it is most closely related to r and u; as in pilgrim, peregrine, couch (fr. collocare), aubura (fr. LL. alburnus)..
Round :: Round (a.) Modified, as a vowel, by contraction of the lip opening, making the opening more or less round in shape; rounded; labialized; labial. See Guide to Pronunciation, / 11..
Vocal :: Vocal (a.) Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a vowel; vowel.
Guna :: Guna (n.) In Sanskrit grammar, a lengthening of the simple vowels a, i, e, by prefixing an a element. The term is sometimes used to denote the same vowel change in other languages..
Ad- :: Ad- () As a prefix ad- assumes the forms ac-, af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, ar-, as-, at-, assimilating the d with the first letter of the word to which ad- is prefixed. It remains unchanged before vowels, and before d, h, j, m, v. Examples: adduce, adhere, adjacent, admit, advent, accord, affect, aggregate, allude, annex, appear, etc. It becomes ac- before qu, as in acquiesce..
Long :: Long (superl.) Prolonged, or relatively more prolonged, in utterance; -- said of vowels and syllables. See Short, a., 13, and Guide to Pronunciation, // 22, 30..
Dieresis :: Dieresis (n.) A mark consisting of two dots [/], placed over the second of two adjacent vowels, to denote that they are to be pronounced as distinct letters; as, cooperate, aerial..
Asper :: Asper (n.) The rough breathing; a mark (/) placed over an initial vowel sound or over / to show that it is aspirated, that is, pronounced with h before it; thus ws, pronounced h/s, rh`twr, pronounced hrat/r..
Tonic :: Tonic (a.) Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically (Phon.), applied to, or distingshing, a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, such sounds, namely, the vowels and diphthongs, being so called by Dr. James Rush (1833) from their forming the purest and most plastic material of intonation..
Jehovist :: "Jehovist (n.) One who maintains that the vowel points of the word Jehovah, in Hebrew, are the proper vowels of that word; -- opposed to adonist..
Di- :: Di- () A prefix denoting through; also, between, apart, asunder, across. Before a vowel dia-becomes di-; as, diactinic; dielectric, etc..
Breve :: Breve (n.) A curved mark [/] used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel.
Pure :: Pure (superl.) Of a single, simple sound or tone; -- said of some vowels and the unaspirated consonants..
Vocal :: Vocal (a.) Consisting of, or characterized by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v, l, etc., or by both, as in the nasals m, n, ng; sonant; intonated; voiced. See Voice, and Vowel, also Guide to Pronunciation, // 199-202..
Vowelish :: Vowelish (a.) Of the nature of a vowel.
Devocalize :: Devocalize (v. t.) To make toneless; to deprive of vowel quality.
Hiatus :: Hiatus (n.) The concurrence of two vowels in two successive words or syllables.
Nasal :: Nasal (a.) Having a quality imparted by means of the nose; and specifically, made by lowering the soft palate, in some cases with closure of the oral passage, the voice thus issuing (wholly or partially) through the nose, as in the consonants m, n, ng (see Guide to Pronunciation, // 20, 208); characterized by resonance in the nasal passage; as, a nasal vowel; a nasal utterance..
Com- :: Com- () A prefix from the Latin preposition cum, signifying with, together, in conjunction, very, etc. It is used in the form com- before b, m, p, and sometimes f, and by assimilation becomes col- before l, cor- before r, and con- before any consonant except b, h, l, m, p, r, and w. Before a vowel com- becomes co-; also before h, w, and sometimes before other consonants..
Contract :: Contract (n.) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.
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