Langimage
English

consonant

|con/so/nant|

B1

🇺🇸

/ˈkɑːn.sə.nənt/

🇬🇧

/ˈkɒn.sə.nənt/

non-vowel sound

Etymology
Etymology Information

'consonant' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'consonans', where 'con-' meant 'together' and 'sonare' meant 'to sound'.

Historical Evolution

'consonans' transformed into the Old French word 'consonant', and eventually became the modern English word 'consonant'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'sounding together', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a speech sound that is not a vowel'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a speech sound that is not a vowel.

The word 'cat' has three consonants: 'c', 't', and 't'.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Adjective 1

in agreement or harmony with.

His actions were consonant with his words.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45