Approximant

Pronunciation: /əˈprɑksəmənt/

Definitions of approximant

noun a speech sound produced by narrowing but not blocking the vocal tract

Example Sentences

A1 An approximant is a speech sound that is produced by narrowing the vocal tract but not enough to produce a turbulent airflow.

A2 In phonetics, an approximant is a sound that is produced by bringing articulators close together but not to the point of complete closure.

B1 Liquids and glides are examples of approximants in phonetics, as they involve a smooth transition from one sound to another.

B2 The English 'r' sound is considered an approximant because it is produced with a slight narrowing of the vocal tract but not a complete closure.

C1 Phonologists study the acoustic properties of approximants in different languages to understand how they are produced and perceived by speakers.

C2 The distinction between approximants and fricatives is important in phonetics, as they have different characteristics in terms of airflow and articulation.

adjective relating to or denoting a consonant that is produced by narrowing but not blocking the vocal tract

Example Sentences

A1 The approximant sound of the letter 'r' is common in many languages.

A2 She used an approximant estimate of the cost for the project.

B1 The scientist made an approximant calculation of the distance between the two planets.

B2 The approximant value of the variable was close to the actual measurement.

C1 The engineer used an approximant model to predict the behavior of the system.

C2 The artist's painting captured the approximant shapes and colors of the landscape.

Examples of approximant in a Sentence

formal The phoneme /w/ is an approximant sound produced by rounding the lips.

informal In casual conversation, people often pronounce 'approximant' as 'uh-prox-uh-muhnt'.

slang I can't believe I nailed that approximant in my speech, it was perfect!

figurative Her singing voice was like a smooth approximant, gliding effortlessly through the song.

Grammatical Forms of approximant

• past tense: approximated
• plural: approximants
• comparative: more approximant
• superlative: most approximant
• present tense: approximates
• future tense: will approximate
• perfect tense: has approximated
• continuous tense: is approximating
• singular: approximant
• positive degree: approximant
• infinitive: to approximate
• gerund: approximating
• participle: approximating

Origin and Evolution of approximant

First Known Use: 1700 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'approximant' originated from the Latin word 'approximantem', which means 'approaching'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in mathematics to describe a sound that is produced by the articulators coming close together, the term 'approximant' has evolved to also refer to a speech sound that is similar to a vowel but with a more constricted airflow.