Definition & Meaning of "vowel"in English

Vowel

NOUN

‌(phonetics) a speech sound produced without interfering with the flow of air coming through the mouth or nose

Grammatical Information

Animacy status

Inanimate

Plural form

vowels

What is a "vowel"?

A vowel is a speech sound produced with an open vocal tract, allowing air to flow freely without significant obstruction. Vowels are typically characterized by their resonance and can be voiced or voiceless, although most vowels in English are voiced. In the English alphabet, the letters "a," "e," "i," "o," and "u" represent vowel sounds, and "y" can also function as a vowel in certain contexts. Vowels are essential for forming syllables and words, and they play a key role in determining the pronunciation and meaning of words in a language.

Examples

He practiced pronouncing each vowel clearly to improve his accent.

1.1

a written letter representing a vowel sound, such as a, e, i, o, or u in English

Examples

The word " dog " contains one vowel.

Lexical Tree