vowel
Vowel (noun) means a speech sound made with an open vocal tract, without blocking the airflow — the core sound of a syllable. Example: “English has far more vowel sounds than it has vowel letters.”
How to use vowel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA, e, i, o, u (and sometimes y) — the open, unobstructed speech sounds and the letters that represent them.
Word forms
voweled past tense, vowelled past tense, vowels plural, vowels singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
English has far more _____ sounds than it has vowel letters.
Etymology
From Old French vouel (compare modern French voyelle), from Latin vocalis, "voiced" — a doublet of vocal.
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for vowel
See all rhymes for 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.
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