Main Entry: vow·el

Pronunciation: \ˈvau̇(-ə)l\

Function: noun

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

Date: 14th century

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