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fricative

fricatives

Definitions of fricative
  1. noun
    a continuant consonant produced by breath moving against a narrowing of the vocal tract
    synonyms: fricative consonant, spirant
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    types:
    sibilant, sibilant consonant
    a consonant characterized by a hissing sound (like s or sh)
    type of:
    continuant, continuant consonant
    consonant articulated by constricting (but not closing) the vocal tract
  2. adjective
    of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both `thin' and `then')
    synonyms: continuant, sibilant, spirant, strident
    soft
    (of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh')
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