(n.) A term used differently by different authorities; -- by some as equivalent to fricative, -- that is, as including all the continuous consonants, except the nasals m, n, ng; with the further exception, by others, of the liquids r, l, and the semivowels w, y; by others limited to f, v, th surd and sonant, and the sound of German ch, -- thus excluding the sibilants, as well as the nasals, liquids, and semivowels. See Guide to Pronunciation, // 197-208.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). spirant. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/spirant/definitions/2064985 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "spirant" http://smartdefine.org/spirant/definitions/2064985 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, spirant, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/spirant/definitions/2064985>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "spirant" 28 May 2011. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/spirant/definitions/2064985> |