spirant
adjective
1. of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both `thin' and `then')
Similar word(s): soft, continuant, fricative, sibilant, strident
noun
1. a continuant consonant produced by breath moving against a narrowing of the vocal tract
Similar word(s): fricative
Definition categories: communication, continuant