What does plosion mean?
A plosion is the abrupt release of airflow produced when a stop consonant is spoken. Stop consonants, including /p/, /t/, /k/, /b/, /d/, and /ɡ/, involve a complete closure of the mouth followed by a sudden escape of air; that release is the plosion. The term is used in phonetics and phonology to describe the acoustic and physiological effect at the end of a consonant, particularly when it is final or occurs before another consonant. A plosion can be sharply audible, as in the clear release of the /t/ in "cat," or less distinct when a sound occurs close to the following consonant. Although related in vocabulary to "explosive," the word has a narrow technical meaning and should not generally be used for a physical explosion. It is most useful in detailed discussion of speech sounds, sound patterns, and pronunciation.
nounIn phonetics, a plosion is the sudden release of airflow that occurs when a stop consonant, such as /p/, /t/, or /k/, is articulated. It contrasts with the continuous airflow found in sounds such as /f/, /s/, or /m/.
- The sudden release of air pressure in the articulation of a stop consonant, especially at the end of a syllable or utterance.
"The final consonant in the word "cat" has a sharply defined plosion."
"Listeners heard a distinct plosion at the end of the final consonant."
"In "top," the /p/ is followed by a strong plosion when the word is spoken in isolation."
The plural is used when discussing multiple consonant releases.
"The recordings revealed distinct plosions at the ends of several words."
Every crisp English "t" contains a tiny burst of air: linguists call that moment a plosion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plosion come from?
The term derives from the Latin stem associated with "plosive," meaning a sound produced by an abrupt release. The English technical vocabulary of phonetics developed partly through the analysis of consonant articulation. Related English words include "plosive," "explosion," and "implosion," which share a historical connection with the idea of bursting or forceful release.
How plosion is actually used
This is a specialist term used chiefly in phonetics, phonology, and speech analysis. It describes a feature of consonant articulation rather than an intentional sound made by the speaker.
Easily confused with plosion
A plosion is the release phase of a stop consonant in speech, whereas an explosion is a physical event involving the forceful expansion of gases.
A plosion can describe the audible release of a speech sound, while an implosion generally describes a collapse inward or the opposite of an explosion.