consonant

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adjective con·so·nant \ ˈkän(t)-s(ə-)nənt \

Definition of consonant

1 :being in agreement or harmony :free from elements making for discord

The decision was consonant with the company's usual practice.

2 :marked by musical consonances

consonant chords

3 :having similar sounds

consonant words

4 :relating to or exhibiting consonance :resonant

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consonantly

adverb

See consonant defined for English-language learners

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Examples of consonant in a Sentence

the temples and palaces of ancient Greece are among the most consonant buildings in architectural history
his gentle behavior is consonant with his expressed belief in pacifism

Recent Examples of consonant from the Web

Set in a small town in rural white America in the middle of flyover country, APT is not only staging world-class work, consonant with its history of offering the same.

— mike fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "American Players Theatre reflects humiliation of immigrants in 'The Maids'," 3 July 2017
Samardzija formed a consonant-heavy battery with Tim Federowicz, who is in camp to add to the club’s catching depth. —

— andrew baggarly, The Mercury News, "Giants notes: Johnny Cueto’s WBC participation in doubt," 20 Feb. 2017
Drawing from the cadences and content of Hawaiian chants as well as the consonant twang of country music, the group combined historical reverence with show-business appeal.

— nate chinen, New York Times, "Eddie Kamae, an Innovator and a Historian on Four Strings, Dies at 89," 24 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'consonant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of consonant

Middle English, from Latin consonant-, consonans, present participle of consonare to sound together, agree, from com- + sonare to sound — more at sound

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

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consonant Synonyms

Synonyms

balanced, congruous, harmonious, eurythmic (or eurhythmic), harmonic

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

consonant

noun

Definition of consonant

:one of a class of speech sounds (such as \p\, \g\, \, \l\, \s\, \r\) characterized by constriction or closure at one or more points in the breath channel; also :a letter representing a consonant —usually used in English of any letter except a, e, i, o, and u

See consonant defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of consonant from the Web

The Hawaiian language only has 12 letters (five vowels and eight consonants).

— vincent crampton, OrlandoSentinel.com, "The A to Zs (but mostly Ks) of Volcano Bay," 30 May 2017
That's an odd name for an Australian landmark—not just because of all the funny consonants, but because Mr. Kosciuszko was a Polish military hero who never came close to setting foot in Australia.

— ken jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, "Australia's Highest Point Is Not Actually Australia's Highest Point," 29 May 2017
The main difficulty was the language, with its thick knots of consonants and multiple inflected endings.

— mary wisniewski, chicagotribune.com, "Finding America in a visit to Poland," 22 May 2017
Harry Zolnierczyk threw every consonant at Gibson as Colton Sissons was scoring.

— mark whicker, Orange County Register, "Whicker: It was John Gibson against the world in Ducks’ Game 3 loss," 16 May 2017
More than ten distinct nations spread across five countries make up the San, an indigenous people of southern Africa who have drawn ample scientific attention for their genetic diversity, botanical knowledge, and unique linguistic consonants.

— charlie wood, The Christian Science Monitor, "Can Native research codes avoid culture clash?," 16 May 2017
Nearly everything, every consonant and every vowel is something that Trump himself has rendered in some way.

— nicole evatt, The Seattle Times, "Alec Baldwin: Trump is ‘Saturday Night Live’ head writer," 3 May 2017
Short, clear names with one to two consonants also work better than a lengthy name.

— zoë gowen, Southern Living, "101 Names for Southern Dogs," 1 May 2017
Harmonic surprises are exceedingly rare, as the gently cantering train of vowels and consonants runs on into the distance.

— russell platt, The New Yorker, "Two New Choral-Music Recordings," 24 Mar. 2017

Origin and Etymology of consonant

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin consonant-, consonans, from present participle of consonare — see ¹consonant

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Alphabet Terms

cuneiform, linear, minuscule, pictograph, rune, symbology, wedge

CONSONANT Defined for English Language Learners

consonant

play

adjective

Definition of consonant for English Language Learners

: in agreement with something
music : in harmony

consonant

noun

Definition of consonant for English Language Learners

: a speech sound (such as /p/, /d/, or /s/) that is made by partly or completely stopping the flow of air breathed out from the mouth
: a letter that represents a consonant; especially : any letter of the English alphabet except a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y