What does consonantal mean?
Consonantal is an adjective with two closely related senses, both rooted in linguistics. Most broadly, it means relating to or consisting of consonants — the speech sounds produced with some obstruction of airflow — as opposed to vowels. It is especially associated with the study of writing systems: a consonantal script or alphabet is one in which consonants are written but vowels are largely omitted, as in ancient Phoenician, Hebrew, and other Semitic traditions where readers supply the vowels from context. Linguists also speak of a 'consonantal root' when describing Semitic morphology, since the core meaning of many Arabic and Hebrew words resides in a skeleton of consonants. The word appears almost exclusively in academic and technical contexts rather than everyday speech, carrying a precise, scholarly connotation. Understanding it illuminates how some of history's most influential alphabets managed to record language faithfully while leaving vowels entirely to the reader's knowledge.
adjectiveRelating to, consisting of, or characterized by consonants; of a writing system or alphabet, denoting one in which consonants carry the primary phonetic information, as in ancient Phoenician or Hebrew script.
- (Linguistics) Of, relating to, or consisting of consonants.
- (Of a writing system) Denoting an alphabet or script in which only or primarily consonants are represented, vowels being omitted or supplied later.
"Hebrew is often described as a consonantal script because the vowels were originally left unwritten."
"In Semitic languages, the consonantal root carries much of the word's core meaning."
"Early Greek inscriptions adapted the Phoenician consonantal alphabet by adding letters to represent vowels."
The word 'consonantal' describes scripts like ancient Hebrew and Phoenician — alphabets that got by perfectly well for centuries without ever writing down a vowel.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of consonantal
Consonantal derives from 'consonant', which comes from Latin 'consonare', meaning 'to sound together'. The Latin term passed into Old French and Middle English as a noun describing sounds sounded together with another, before English speakers formed the adjective 'consonantal' from it, likely during the early modern period as linguistic terminology developed. Cognates include the related adjective 'sonant' and words tracing back to the same Latin verb of sounding.
Related word forms
How consonantal is actually used
Primarily used in linguistics and the study of writing systems; rare in general conversation. In linguistics it can also describe speech sounds that behave like consonants rather than vowels.
Easily confused with consonantal
'Consonantal' is an adjective describing something made up of or relating to consonants, while 'consonance' is a noun meaning agreement or harmony between sounds or between people.