n.1 a speech-sound made with vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction, more open than a consonant and capable of forming a syllable.
2 a letter or letters representing this, as a, e, i, o, u, aw, ah.
Phrases and idioms:
vowel gradation ABLAUT. vowel mutation UMLAUT 2. vowel-point each of a set of marks indicating vowels in Hebrew etc.
Derivatives:
vowelled adj. (also in comb.). vowelless adj. vowelly adj.
Etymology: ME f. OF vouel, voiel f. L vocalis (littera) VOCAL (letter)