Nonsyllabic (Adjective)
Meaning 1
(of speech sounds) not forming or capable of forming the nucleus of a syllable; "initial `l' in `little' is nonsyllabic".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The initial 'y' in 'yes' is nonsyllabic, acting as a consonantal sound that precedes the vowel.
- In phonetics, the term nonsyllabic is used to describe consonantal sounds that cannot form the core of a syllable.
- The 'w' in 'will' is nonsyllabic, serving as a consonant that precedes the vowel sound.
- In the word 'rhythm', the 'r' and 'h' are nonsyllabic, as they do not form the nucleus of the syllable.
- The 'l' in 'blacklist' is nonsyllabic, acting as a consonantal sound that precedes the vowel.
Antonyms
Meaning 2
Not forming a syllable or the nucleus of a syllable; consisting of a consonant sound accompanied in the same syllable by a vowel sound or consisting of a vowel sound dominated by other vowel sounds in a syllable (as the second vowel in a falling diphthong); "the nonsyllabic `n' in `botany' when it is pronounced `botny'"; "the nonsyllabic `i' in `oi'".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The nonsyllabic 'y' in 'my' is often pronounced as a vowel sound dominated by the preceding vowel.
- In phonetics, the term nonsyllabic is used to describe a vowel sound that is not the nucleus of a syllable.
- The nonsyllabic 'u' in 'cue' is an example of a vowel sound that is dominated by the preceding vowel sound.
- The pronunciation of 'botany' as 'botny' illustrates the nonsyllabic 'n' in the word.
- In the diphthong 'oi', the 'i' is nonsyllabic, as it is dominated by the preceding vowel sound 'o'.