speech sound

/spitʃ saʊnd/

Other forms: speech sounds

Definitions of speech sound

1. noun

   (phonetics) an individual sound unit of speech without concern as to whether or not it is a phoneme of some language
   synonyms: phone, sound

   types:

   phoneme

   (linguistics) one of a small set of speech sounds that are distinguished by the speakers of a particular language

   vowel, vowel sound

   a speech sound made with the vocal tract open

   glide, semivowel

   a vowellike sound that serves as a consonant

   consonant

   a speech sound that is not a vowel

   orinasal, orinasal phone

   a speech sound produced with both the oral and nasal passages open (as French nasal vowels)

   sonant, voiced sound

   a speech sound accompanied by sound from the vocal cords

   allophone

   (linguistics) any of various acoustically different forms of the same phoneme

   ablaut

   a vowel whose quality or length is changed to indicate linguistic distinctions (such as sing sang sung song)

   diphthong

   a vowel sound that starts near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves toward the position for another

   schwa, shwa

   a neutral middle vowel; occurs in unstressed syllables

   stem vowel, thematic vowel

   a vowel that ends a stem and precedes an inflection

   palatal

   a semivowel produced with the tongue near the palate (like the initial sound in the English word `yeast')

   alveolar, alveolar consonant, dental, dental consonant

   a consonant articulated with the tip of the tongue near the gum ridge

   obstruent

   a consonant that is produced with a partial or complete blockage of the airflow from the lungs through the nose or mouth

   aspirate

   a consonant pronounced with aspiration

   labial, labial consonant

   a consonant whose articulation involves movement of the lips

   labiodental, labiodental consonant

   a consonant whose articulation involves the lips and teeth

   nasal, nasal consonant

   a consonant produced through the nose with the mouth closed

   lingual

   a consonant that is produced with the tongue and other speech organs

   liquid

   a frictionless continuant that is not a nasal consonant (especially `l' and `r')

   geminate

   a doubled or long consonant

   surd, voiceless consonant

   a consonant produced without sound from the vocal cords

   velar, velar consonant

   a consonant produced with the back of the tongue touching or near the soft palate

   guttural, guttural consonant, pharyngeal, pharyngeal consonant

   a consonant articulated in the back of the mouth or throat

   type of:

   language unit, linguistic unit

   one of the natural units into which linguistic messages can be analyzed