SINCE 1828
consonant shift
nounDefinition of consonant shift
: a set of regular changes in consonant articulation in the history of a language or dialect:
a
: such a set affecting the Indo-European stops (see stop entry 2 sense 9) and distinguishing the Germanic languages from the other Indo-European languages — compare grimm's law
b
: such a set affecting the Germanic stops and distinguishing High German from the other Germanic languages
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