vowel
vowel Lexical Profile
vowel Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A letter or written character representing such a speech sound, such as a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y in the English alphabet.
"Young students learn to identify every vowel and consonant in simple three-letter words."
A speech sound produced by the relatively open configuration of the vocal tract, with vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction.
"The pronunciation of a long vowel often differs significantly across regional English dialects."
Word Nuance & Usage
The choice between the indefinite articles 'a' and 'an' depends on whether the following word begins with a vowel sound rather than a written vowel letter (e.g., 'an hour' vs. 'a university').
• Rhymes for vowel
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'vouel', from Latin 'vocalis' (littera), meaning '(letter) sounding' or 'vocal', derived from 'vox' ('voice').