ALL meanings of vowel
vow·el
V v - noun vowel Phonetics. (in English articulation) a speech sound produced without occluding, diverting, or obstructing the flow of air from the lungs (opposed to consonant). (in a syllable) the sound of greatest sonority, as i in grill. Compare consonant (def 1b). (in linguistic function) a concept empirically determined as a phonological element in structural contrast with consonant, as the (ē) of be (bē), we (wē), and yeast (yēst). 1
- noun vowel a letter representing or usually representing a vowel, as, in English, a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes w and y. 1
- adjective vowel of or relating to a vowel. 1
- noun vowel speech: open sound, not consonant 1
- adjective vowel sound: open, not consonant 1
- countable noun vowel A vowel is a sound such as the ones represented in writing by the letters 'a', 'e' 'i', 'o' and 'u', which you pronounce with your mouth open, allowing the air to flow through it. Compare consonant. 0
- noun vowel a voiced speech sound whose articulation is characterized by the absence of friction-causing obstruction in the vocal tract, allowing the breath stream free passage. The timbre of a vowel is chiefly determined by the position of the tongue and the lips 0
- noun vowel a letter or character representing a vowel 0
- noun vowel any voiced speech sound characterized by generalized friction of the air passing in a continuous stream through the pharynx and opened mouth but with no constriction narrow enough to produce local friction; the sound of the greatest prominence in most syllables 0
- noun vowel a letter (as a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y) or a character or a symbol representing such a sound 0
- adjective vowel of a vowel or vowels 0