English
Etymology
From Latin spirans, present participle of spiro|spirare "to blow". See inspire, expire, respiration etc.
Noun
wikipedia|Fricative consonant
en-noun
- context|linguistics|archaic A fricative.
#*1888: w:Joseph Wright (linguist)|Joseph Wright, An Old High German Primer
#*:s was a voicless spirant in all positions like the s in English sit
#*1954: w:J. R. R. Tolkien|J. R. R. Tolkien, w:The Lord of the Rings|The Lord of the Rings, Appendix E.
#*:The raising of the stem indicated the opening of the consonant to a �spirant�
Synonyms
fricative
Category:Latin derivations
fa:spirant
vi:spirant
tr:spirant
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