Definition

1. Adjective:

   • (Phonetics) Describing a speech sound produced by forcing the breath stream through a narrow constriction in the vocal tract, creating audible friction. For example, the sounds represented by the letters f, s, z, v, and th.

2. Noun:

   • (Phonetics) A consonant sound characterized by the production of audible friction as the air passes through a narrow channel formed by the articulators. Examples include /f/, /s/, /ʃ/ (as in ship), and /ð/ (as in this).

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • The sounds /f/ and /v/ are fricative consonants.
  • In English, the fricative quality of the /s/ sound is very distinct.

• Noun:

  • The word "think" begins with the voiceless dental fricative /θ/.
  • Languages like Arabic have several pharyngeal fricatives.

Advanced Usage

• Voiced vs. Voiceless Fricatives: Fricatives are categorized based on whether the vocal cords vibrate. For example, /f/ is a voiceless fricative, while its counterpart /v/ is a voiced fricative.
• Place of Articulation: Fricatives are further specified by where in the vocal tract the constriction occurs, such as labiodental (/f/, /v/), dental (/θ/, /ð/), alveolar (/s/, /z/), or glottal (/h/).

Variants and Related Words

• Spirant: (noun) A less common synonym for "fricative."
• Sibilant: (noun) A subset of fricatives characterized by a high-pitched, hissing quality, such as /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, and /ʒ/.

Synonyms

• Spirant (technical, noun/adjective)
• Friction consonant (descriptive)

Related Phrases (Linguistic Terminology)

• Fricative release: The audible friction that characterizes the end of an affricate consonant (e.g., the /tʃ/ in ).
• To devoice a fricative: To pronounce a normally voiced fricative without vocal cord vibration.

Adjective

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

Noun

1. a continuant consonant produced by breath moving against a narrowing of the vocal tract