SIBILANT

I. adjective Etymology: Latin ~-, sibilans, present participle of sibilare to hiss, whistle, of imitative origin Date: 1669 having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or the sh in sash , ~ly adverb II. noun Date: 1788 a ~ speech sound (as English \\s\\, \\z\\, \\sh\\, \\zh\\, \\ch(=tsh)\\, or \\j(=dzh)\\)