vowel

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noun vow·el \ˈvau̇(-ə)l\

Definition of vowel

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

See vowel defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of vowel 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
Studies commonly cite more than 100 consonants, and some say there are as many as 164 consonants and 44 vowels.

— anna diamond, The Atlantic, "A Volcano in North Korea and an Election in Gambia: The Week in Global-Affairs Writing", 2 Dec. 2016
Linguists say the regional dialect emerged during the New High German Diphthongization in the Middle Ages, when south-westerners spun off their own approach to vowels.

— zeke turner, WSJ, "Who Needs German Lessons? Germans, Apparently", 9 Oct. 2016
That’s the crux of Shaw’s presciently modern plot, which in part uses vowels to examine class differences, with a feminist angle.

— aileen jacobson, New York Times, "Review: A London Linguist Makes a Bet on ‘My Fair Lady’ at Sag Harbor", 12 Aug. 2016
Oal-é is often jokingly referred to as i-oo-my’a, which is a satirical nod to the grain’s vowel-heavy moniker.

— sarah larson, The New Yorker, "Grain Forecast", 4 Apr. 2016
Welsh road signs are posted in two languages, English and Welsh (due to budget contraints, the Welsh signs are printed with almost no vowels).

— charlie sorrel, WIRED, "Welsh Road Sign Features Email Auto-Reply Instead of Correct Translation", 3 Nov. 2008
HANGMAN: Flummox your child by coming up with words that have few real vowels.

— a.j. jacobs, Esquire, "How to Humiliate Your Offspring", 30 May 2006

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

Origin and Etymology of vowel

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

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

VOWEL Defined for English Language Learners

vowel

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noun

Definition of vowel for English Language Learners

: a speech sound made with your mouth open and your tongue in the middle of your mouth not touching your teeth, lips, etc.
: a letter (such as a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y in English) that represents a vowel