Definition & Meaning of "plosive"

What is a "plosive"?

A plosive is a type of consonant sound produced by completely stopping the airflow in the vocal tract and then releasing it suddenly. This creates a burst of sound. Plosives are characterized by their manner of articulation and can be voiced or voiceless. In English, common examples of plosive sounds include the "p" sound in "pat," the "b" sound in "bat," the "t" sound in "tap," and the "d" sound in "dog." Plosives are important in phonetics because they form a fundamental part of speech, helping to distinguish words based on their pronunciation.