Consonants Meaning in English
word · lemma: consonant
Definition
Consonants are speech sounds made by partially or completely blocking the flow of air through the mouth. In the alphabet, all letters except vowels (a, e, i, o, u) are consonants.
Usage & Nuances
Used mostly in linguistics and language learning. Always paired with 'vowels' (as in 'vowels and consonants'). Not used for describing sounds in music. Be careful not to confuse with 'syllable' or 'phoneme'.
Example Sentences
There are twenty-one consonants in the English alphabet.
basic
B, C, and D are examples of consonants.
basic
The word 'cat' has two consonants: C and T.
basic
Some people find it hard to pronounce words with many consonants in a row.
natural
When I was a kid, I confused vowels and consonants all the time.
natural
In English, most words start with consonants, not vowels.
natural