sibilancy

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sib·i·lant

(sĭb′ə-lənt)

adj.

Of, characterized by, or producing a hissing sound like that of (s) or (sh): the sibilant consonants; a sibilant bird call.

A sibilant speech sound, such as English (s), (sh), (z), or (zh).

[Latin sībilāns, sībilant-, present participle of sībilāre, to hiss.]

sib′i·lance, sib′i·lan·cy n.

sib′i·lant·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sibilancy, sibilance

the state or quality of a hissing sound. — sibilant, adj.