semivowel Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a vowellike sound that serves as a consonant
    glide.

WordNet


Sem"i*vow`el noun
Definitions
  1. (Phon.) (a) A sound intermediate between a vowel and a consonant, or partaking of the nature of both, as in the English w and y. (b) The sign or letter representing such a sound.

Webster 1913