I. ˈsi-bə-lənt adjective
Etymology: Latin sibilant-, 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
a sibilant affricate
a sibilant snake
• sib·i·lant·ly adverb
II. noun
Date: 1788
: a sibilant speech sound (as English s, z, sh, zh, ch(=tsh), or j(=dzh))