vowel

noun

vow·​el ˈvau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce vowel (audio)
1
: one of a class of speech sounds in the articulation of which the oral part of the breath channel is not blocked and is not constricted enough to cause audible friction
broadly : the one most prominent sound in a syllable
2
: a letter or other symbol representing a vowel
usually used in English of a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y

Examples of vowel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The sheet also includes data like how many vowels the day’s word had. Saira Mueller, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 The Clue: This word has more vowels than consonants. . . . Erik Kain, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Pepe even vocalizes vowel sounds like the Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024 Buy some vowels and solve the puzzle for good news: Vanna White is back on Wheel of Fortune. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Oct. 2023 How To Solve Today’s Wordle The Hint: The Clue: This word has far more consonants than vowels. . Erik Kain, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Sadly, though, French has changed my vowels and endo has changed my bowels. Kristina Kasparian, Longreads, 6 Feb. 2024 Today, one linguistic trend that’s synonymous with the state is the California vowel shift, which occurs when a person pronounces words differently by moving their vowels forward in their mouths. Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Jan. 2024 The strategy seems to make sense: Figure out the vowels, and the other letters will fall into place. Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vowel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French vowele, from Latin vocalis — more at vocalic

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vowel was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vowel

Cite this Entry

“Vowel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vowel. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

vowel

noun
vow·​el ˈvau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce vowel (audio)
1
: a speech sound produced without obstruction or audible friction in the mouth
2
: a letter (as a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y) representing a vowel

More from Merriam-Webster on vowel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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