vowel
1 synonym and 1 antonym for vowel, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A speech sound made with an open vocal tract, without blocking the airflow — the core sound of a syllable.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
vowel sound
Antonyms
How to use vowel
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
long vowel
short vowel
vowel sound
Etymology
From Old French vouel (compare modern French voyelle), from Latin vocalis, "voiced" — a doublet of vocal.
Full origin of vowel →Frequently asked questions
What does “vowel” mean?
The word “vowel” means a speech sound made with an open vocal tract, without blocking the airflow — the core sound of a syllable. In plain terms, a, e, i, o, u (and sometimes y) — the open, unobstructed speech sounds and the letters that represent them.
How do you pronounce “vowel”?
“Vowel” is pronounced VOW-uhl (/ˈvaʊ.əl/ in IPA).
How do you use “vowel” in a sentence?
Here is “vowel” used in a sentence: “English has far more vowel sounds than it has vowel letters.”
What part of speech is “vowel”?
“Vowel” is a noun.
Where does the word “vowel” come from?
The word “vowel” comes from Latin. From Old French vouel (compare modern French voyelle), from Latin vocalis, "voiced" — a doublet of vocal.
Is “vowel” a common word?
“Vowel” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “vowel” have?
“Vowel” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a speech sound made with an open vocal tract, without blocking the airflow — the core sound of a syllable.
