/ahn"lowt'/ , n. , pl. anlaute /-low'teuh/ , anlauts . Ling.
1. initial position in a word, esp. as a conditioning environment in sound change.
2. a sound in this position. Cf. auslaut, inlaut .
[ 1880-85; an- ON + Laut sound, as n. deriv. of anlauten to begin (with a given sound) ]