adjective / noun
sibilant
SIB-ih-lunt/ˈsɪbɪlənt/
A hissing sound like s or sh, or having this sound.
The cat's sibilant hiss escapes through bared teeth as its back arches.
Etymology
The Latin pieces mean “hissing,” describing the audible quality shared by sounds such as s and sh. The verb sibilare may itself have arisen as an imitation of hissing or whistling.
In context
… pronounced it lingeringly, rolling the "rr's" sonorously, and hissing the "ss's" with a caressing sibilant sound.
More examples
- The s in sun is a sibilant.
- Both s and sh are sibilants.
- A sibilant hiss escapes from the leaking tire.
Forms
sibilant · sibilants
sibilance noun — The presence or quality of hissing sounds.
Similar words
- hissing
- Describes any hiss, not specifically a category of speech sounds.
- fricative
- Includes other friction-produced speech sounds, such as f and v.