plosive

views updated Jun 08 2018

plo·sive / ˈplōsiv/ Phonet. • adj. denoting a consonant that is produced by stopping the airflow using the lips, teeth, or palate, followed by a sudden release of air.• n. a plosive speech sound. The basic plosives in English are t, k, and p (voiceless) and d, g, and b (voiced).

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

PLOSIVE

views updated May 23 2018

PLOSIVE. In PHONETICS, a stop CONSONANT that is released quickly, with a brief explosive sound known as a release burst. English voiceless plosives, such as /p, t, k/, are often followed by aspiration, particularly in IrE. The process is known as plosion. See ARTICULATION.

Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language TOM McARTHUR

plosive

views updated Jun 08 2018

plosive (phon.) stop consonant. XX. — F.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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