consonant

1 of 2

adjective

con·​so·​nant ˈkän(t)-s(ə-)nənt How to pronounce consonant (audio)
1
: being in agreement or harmony : free from elements making for discord
The decision was consonant with the company's usual practice.
2
: marked by musical consonances
consonant chords
3
: having similar sounds
consonant words
4
: relating to or exhibiting consonance : resonant
consonantly adverb

consonant

2 of 2

noun

: one of a class of speech sounds (such as \p\, \g\, \n\, \l\, \s\, \r\) characterized by constriction or closure at one or more points in the breath channel
also : a letter representing a consonant
usually used in English of any letter except a, e, i, o, and u

Examples of consonant in a Sentence

Adjective the temples and palaces of ancient Greece are among the most consonant buildings in architectural history his gentle behavior is consonant with his expressed belief in pacifism
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
China remains a far cry from having the sort of labor unions and collective bargaining that are taken for granted elsewhere, but, as Steinfeld correctly argues, Chinese labor practices are moving away from their revolutionary roots and are increasingly consonant with Western standards. Simon Tay, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2010 Where the republic’s hypocrisy fed its fatal weakness, corruption, the Taliban’s unabashed brutality was consonant with the movement’s strength, its unity. Matthieu Aikins Victor J. Blue Peter Ganim Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 22 May 2024
Noun
The Clue: This Wordle has far more consonants than vowels. Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 The Clue: This Wordle has more consonants than vowels. Erik Kain, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for consonant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consonant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, "in conformity with," borrowed from Latin consonant-, consonans "sounding in accord, agreeing, fitting," from present participle of consonāre "to sound together, agree, be in harmony," from con- con- + sonāre "to make a noise, sound" — more at sound entry 2

Noun

Middle English consonans, consonaunte, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French consonant, borrowed from Latin consonant-, consonans (originally as modifying littera "letter"), noun derivative from present participle of consonāre "to sound together" — more at consonant entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of consonant was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near consonant

Cite this Entry

“Consonant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consonant. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

consonant

1 of 2 adjective
con·​so·​nant ˈkän(t)-s(ə-)nənt How to pronounce consonant (audio)
: being in harmony or agreement
consonantly adverb

consonant

2 of 2 noun
1
: a speech sound (as \p\, \n\, or \s\) produced by narrowing or closing the breath channel at one or more points
2
: a letter representing a consonant
especially : any letter of the English alphabet except a, e, i, o, and u
consonantal
ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈnant-ᵊl
adjective

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