VOWEL


Meaning of VOWEL in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈvau̇(-ə)l ]

noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French vowele, from Latin vocalis — more at vocalic

Date: 14th century

1. : one of a class of speech sounds in the articulation of which the oral part of the breath channel is not blocked and is not constricted enough to cause audible friction ; broadly : the one most prominent sound in a syllable

2. : a letter or other symbol representing a vowel — usually used in English of a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.