vowel

noun

vow·​el ˈvau̇(-ə)l 

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

Coco Gauff is Fruit Salad Queen and was gifted a massive fruit basket in a video ahead of the tournament; Kateřina Siniaková is Instant Noodles(ová) because of her hair; Yuliia Starodubtseva is Alphabet Lady because of her many letters and vowels. —Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025

Kate Winslet’s blowsy, grimacing turn as a detective in a Philly exurb was thrilling to watch not just for her flattened vowels and bone-deep sighs but for her character’s authority. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025

Today’s Wordle Hints And Answer Wordle Bot’s Starting Word: SLATE My Starting Word Today: SPORE (146 words remaining) The Hint: Prank The Clue: This Wordle has far more consonants than vowels. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Then there were the dances that ended in vowels: the salsa, the rumba, the pasa doble. —EW.com, 5 July 2025

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

Phrases Containing vowel

• great vowel shift
• vowel point
• vowel rhyme

Rhymes for vowel

• bowel
• dowel
• howel
• howell
• towel
• avowal
• disavowal

Video

The Schwa

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.

Kids Definition

vowel

noun

vow·​el ˈvau̇(-ə)l 

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