consonant

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

Updated on: 16 May 2018

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

—

consonantly

adverb

See consonant defined for English-language learners

See consonant defined for kids

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

Yiddish Jews were one recognized minority group in the ethnic hodgepodge of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, and the only group whose status wasn’t consonant with a piece of land.

— martin peretz, WSJ, "‘Rooted Cosmopolitans’ Review: Of Persons and Peoples," 8 May 2018
But amid the double-consonant chants that filled the Wells Fargo Center with McConnell’s name, there was another side of the story, and an interesting one.

— david murphy, Philly.com, "Robert Covington had an all-star performance of a different kind in Game 4 | David Murphy," 8 May 2018
Tiny delays after certain sound combinations—such as consonant clusters—could help us distinguish words in noisy settings.

— catherine matacic, Science | AAAS, "If you listen closely, the drumbeats of Amazonian tribes sound like human speech," 24 Apr. 2018
The blood pressure goal of less than 130/80 is consonant with new clinical practice guidelines that were released last year, Blyler said.

— jacqueline howard, CNN, "How barbershops could help lower blood pressure," 19 Mar. 2018
But in terms of presidential history, Trump’s use of the executive toolbox is very much consonant with past practice.

— andrew rudalevige, Washington Post, "As a candidate, Trump criticized Obama's use of executive power. So guess what powers President Trump has been leaning on?," 20 Jan. 2018
This was consonant, repetitious music, major and balladic in tone, but not form.

— giovanni russonello, New York Times, "30 Years Later, Three Bands From New York’s Downtown Scene Unite for One Night," 12 Dec. 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 ¹sound

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

consonant Synonyms

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

But if that vowel was followed by a consonant, the time after the beat went up an average of 80 milliseconds.

— catherine matacic, Science | AAAS, "If you listen closely, the drumbeats of Amazonian tribes sound like human speech," 24 Apr. 2018
But there’s a new explosion of creativity, as well as consonants, that seems to have been ignited by drawing from the majesty and oddity of great Japanese movies.

— joe morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Isle of Dogs’ Review: Wes Anderson Unleashed," 22 Mar. 2018
More Film Reviews The story is set 20 years in the future in a Japan that, for all its advanced technology, recalls the early gangster sagas of Akira Kurosawa, with their noirish plots and explosive consonants.

— joe morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Isle of Dogs’ Review: Wes Anderson Unleashed," 22 Mar. 2018
Created by designer Lee Suk-woo, the medals for these Games feature dynamic diagonal lines and three-dimensional consonants from the Korean alphabet that stretch across the face, according to the official website.

— robert jimison, CNN, "2018 Winter Olympics: What you need to know," 2 Feb. 2018
Created by designer Lee Suk-woo, the medals for these Games feature dynamic diagonal lines and three-dimensional consonants from the Korean alphabet that stretch across the face, according to the official website.

— robert jimison, CNN, "2018 Winter Olympics: What you need to know," 2 Feb. 2018
Created by designer Lee Suk-woo, the medals for these Games feature dynamic diagonal lines and three-dimensional consonants from the Korean alphabet that stretch across the face, according to the official website.

— robert jimison, CNN, "2018 Winter Olympics: What you need to know," 2 Feb. 2018
Created by designer Lee Suk-woo, the medals for these Games feature dynamic diagonal lines and three-dimensional consonants from the Korean alphabet that stretch across the face, according to the official website.

— robert jimison, CNN, "2018 Winter Olympics: What you need to know," 2 Feb. 2018
Short, clear names with one to two consonants also work better than a lengthy name.

— zoë gowen, Southern Living, "101 Names for Southern Dogs," 20 Sep. 2016

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

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Other Alphabet Terms

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

CONSONANT Defined for English Language Learners

consonant

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