ˈspīrənt noun
( -s )
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary, from Latin spirant-, spirans, present participle of spirare to breathe — more at spirit
1. : a consonant that is not a stop, affricate, nasal, voiced lateral, flap, trill, or semivowel (as in English f, v, th, th, s, z, sh, zh, or h)
2. : a consonant that is not a stop or affricate
3. : a member of any classification intermediate between spirant (sense 1) and spirant (sense 2)