vowel
UK: ˈvaʊəl | US: ˈvaʊəl
n. a speech sound produced without obstruction in the vocal tract (e.g., /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/)
n. a letter representing such a sound (e.g., A, E, I, O, U in English)
vowel = vow<voice> + el<diminutive suffix>
- vow (from Latin vox "voice")
- el (diminutive suffix, often indicating "small" or "related to")
Etymology Origin:
The word "vowel" traces back to Latin vocalis (meaning "voiced" or "related to the voice"), derived from vox (voice). In Old French, it became voel, later adapted into Middle English as vowel. The term highlights vowels' defining feature—they are produced with an open vocal tract, allowing the voice to flow freely. The suffix "-el" subtly reinforces its linguistic function as a core element of speech.
The word "cat" has one vowel and two consonants.
In English, the letter "Y" can sometimes function as a vowel.
Singers train to sustain vowels clearly for better pronunciation.
The vowel sounds in "beat" and "bit" are distinct in most dialects.
Linguists study how vowels shift over time in different languages.