anteconsonantal
|an-te-con-so-nan-tal|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.ti.kɑnˈsɑn.ə.təl/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.ti.kɒnˈsɒn.ə.təl/
before a consonant
Etymology
'anteconsonantal' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'ante-' meaning 'before' and the Latin root 'consonans' (from which 'consonant' is derived) meaning 'sounding together', with the English adjectival suffix '-al'.
'ante-' (Latin) + 'consonant' (via Late Latin/Old French into Middle English) were combined in modern English linguistic terminology to form 'anteconsonantal'.
Initially it denoted simply 'before a consonant' in technical phonetic/phonological descriptions; its meaning has remained essentially the same and is used specifically in linguistic contexts today.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
occurring immediately before a consonant (of a sound or segment); positioned or taking place in the consonant-preceding context.
In phonological description, an anteconsonantal vowel may behave differently from an intervocalic vowel.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/21 14:37