sonant Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a speech sound accompanied by sound from the vocal cords
    voiced sound.
  2. adjective produced with vibration of the vocal cords;
    voiced; soft.
    • a frequently voiced opinion
    • voiced consonants such as `b' and `g' and `z'

WordNet

So"nant adjective
Etymology
L. sonans, -antis, p.pr. of sonare to sound. See Sound a noise.
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to sound; sounding.
  2. (Phonetics) Uttered, as an element of speech, with tone or proper vocal sound, as distinguished from mere breath sound; intonated; voiced; tonic; the opposite of nonvocal, or surd; -- sid of the vowels, semivowels, liquids, and nasals, and particularly of the consonants b, d, g hard, v, etc., as compared with their cognates p, t, k, f, etc., which are called nonvocal, surd, or aspirate. -- n. A sonant letter.

Webster 1913