sibilant
1 of 2adjective
sib·i·lant ˈsi-bə-lənt 
: having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or the sh in sash
a sibilant affricate
a sibilant snake
sibilantly adverb
sibilant
2 of 2noun
: a sibilant speech sound (such as English \\s\\, \\z\\, \\sh\\, \\zh\\, \\ch(=tsh)\\, or \\j(=dzh)\\)
Example Sentences
Adjective the sibilant hiss of a snake
Recent Examples on the Web
Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 Mandarin Chinese, for example, is packed with sibilant and strident sounds like English, where air is pushed with more force through the mucus membranes. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 11 June 2020 The five-minute piece, written by Jason Eckardt, consists of cries, truncated syllables and sharp sibilant sounds that appear to resemble someone angrily shushing herself. New York Times, 21 Nov. 2019 Here Comes the Sun’ (RCA/Victor, 1971) A stark, sibilant cover with abundant harp and tape hiss, Nina Simone’s take on the Beatles was a mainstay of early mornings (and afternoons) at Loft parties. Aaron Gonsher, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020 Descriptions of the trend pioneered by the siblings were sibilant: soccer-style, sidewinder, sidesaddle. Michael Farber, SI.com, 2 July 2018 But Jones has just bumped through a remarkable house set, the room is as crowded as it's been all weekend and the German minimal techno DJ Michael Mayer is opening his set with a sibilant cluster of synths and dots of midrange melody. Randall Roberts, latimes.com, 23 Apr. 2018 When a semi-celebrity graduate of their program is mentioned, the girls hiss her name in sibilant wonder and envy. New York Times, 8 May 2018 Ross Kenneth Urken, Scientific American, 14 June 2021 See More
Adjective
The Mammoth handles those frequencies without ever being harsh or sibilant, yet the sound is never woolly or muffled. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 Mandarin Chinese, for example, is packed with sibilant and strident sounds like English, where air is pushed with more force through the mucus membranes. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 11 June 2020 The five-minute piece, written by Jason Eckardt, consists of cries, truncated syllables and sharp sibilant sounds that appear to resemble someone angrily shushing herself. New York Times, 21 Nov. 2019 Here Comes the Sun’ (RCA/Victor, 1971) A stark, sibilant cover with abundant harp and tape hiss, Nina Simone’s take on the Beatles was a mainstay of early mornings (and afternoons) at Loft parties. Aaron Gonsher, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020 Descriptions of the trend pioneered by the siblings were sibilant: soccer-style, sidewinder, sidesaddle. Michael Farber, SI.com, 2 July 2018 But Jones has just bumped through a remarkable house set, the room is as crowded as it's been all weekend and the German minimal techno DJ Michael Mayer is opening his set with a sibilant cluster of synths and dots of midrange melody. Randall Roberts, latimes.com, 23 Apr. 2018 When a semi-celebrity graduate of their program is mentioned, the girls hiss her name in sibilant wonder and envy. New York Times, 8 May 2018 Noun
The insectivorous choruses actually synchronize their sibilant symphonies in a deafening, but gorgeous, hum. Ross Kenneth Urken, Scientific American, 14 June 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Latin sibilant-, sibilans, present participle of sibilare to hiss, whistle, of imitative origin
First Known Use
Adjective
1669, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1788, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
sibilant 1 of 2
adjective
sib·i·lant ˈsib-ə-lənt
: having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or sh in sash
a sibilant speech sound
sibilant breathing
sibilant rales
sibilant
2 of 2noun
: a sibilant speech sound (as English \\s\\, \\z\\, \\sh\\, \\zh\\, \\ch(=t + sh)\\, or \\j(=d + zh)\\)
sibilants
noun
as in sibilances
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sibilances
- whistles
- whooshes
- swooshes
- zips
- wheezes
- fizzes
- hisses
- sizzles
- swishes
- whishes
- whizzes