continuant

Adjective

• of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both `thin' and `then')

Noun

• consonant articulated by constricting (but not closing) the vocal tract

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  fricative , sibilant , spirant , strident , continuant consonant
• Antonyms: 
  stop consonant , stop , occlusive , plosive consonant , plosive speech sound , plosive