Sibilant
/ˈsɪb.ɪ.lənt/noun
Characterized by a hissing or hushing sound, typically produced by the pronunciation of certain consonants.
Did you know?In ancient times, sibilant sounds were often believed to hold magical properties, used in incantations and spells to invoke spirits.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sī̆b-
“to hiss or whisper, associated with soft, hissing sounds.”
Latin
Latin
sibilans
“hissing, from the verb 'sibilare', meaning 'to hiss'.”
Old French
Old French
sibilant
“hissing, conveying a sound similar to that of a snake.”
Middle English
Middle English
sibilant
“retained from Old French, referring to the sound quality of certain letters.”
Modern English
English
sibilant
“pertaining to sounds made with a hissing quality, often used in phonetics.”