Word of the Day - 03/20/26
sibilant
/'sɪbələnt/(adj.): characterized by a hissing sound
He heard a sibilant whisper through the dark hallway, soft and sinister, like a shadow speaking.
(adj./n.): of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `s', `z', or `sh')
If you don’t straighten out your sibilants swiftly, you’ll surely get snared by a shibboleth.
Word Origin
The word 'sibilant' originates from the Latin word 'sibilantem', which is the present participle of 'sibilare', meaning 'to hiss'. The Latin verb 'sibilare' itself is imitative in origin, mimicking the sound of hissing. Breaking down the word, 'sibil-' comes from the root meaning 'to hiss', and '-ant' is a suffix forming present participles and adjectives, indicating an action or characteristic.
Words with a similar origin include 'sibilate', which means to make a hissing sound, and 'sibilance', referring to the quality or state of being sibilant. All these terms share the Latin root 'sibilare' related to hissing.