What does vowel mean?
A vowel is a speech sound produced with an open vocal tract, allowing air to flow through the mouth and, in many languages, shape the resonance of the voice. The term is also used for letters that represent such sounds, as in the vowels a, e, i, o, and u. Vowels are commonly distinguished by features such as tongue height, tongue position, lip rounding, and length. English has a particularly complex vowel system: the five conventional vowel letters may represent many different sounds depending on spelling and context, and words can contain long, short, diphthongal, and rhotic vowels. The word has a formal educational register but is entirely natural in general discussion of language, literacy, poetry, and pronunciation. Its Latin ancestor meant “of the voice,” reflecting an older attempt to organize speech sounds by whether the voice was involved. Although consonant is its familiar contrast, the distinction does not mean that all consonants are voiceless, since many consonants are voiced.
nounA vowel is a speech sound produced with an open vocal tract, allowing the air to flow freely through the mouth. The term can also refer to a letter that represents such a sound.
- A speech sound produced without an obstruction in the vocal tract.
- A letter of the alphabet representing a vowel sound.
"The word “stone” contains one vowel sound and two consonant sounds."
"The teacher asked the students to identify the vowel in each word."
"Each of the five traditional vowels can represent more than one sound in English."
The standard plural form, used when referring to multiple vowel sounds or vowel letters.
"The five vowels in the alphabet are a, e, i, o, and u."
The word vowel literally means “of the voice,” a reminder that these sounds are produced with an open vocal tract.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vowel come from?
The English word vowel comes through Old French vouel from Latin vocalis, meaning “of the voice” and derived from vox, “voice.” The term originally distinguished sounds made with the voice from sounds made without it, a historical classification later refined by phonetics. Its relatives include vocal, vocalist, vocalize, and vociferous.
How vowel is actually used
Standard in educational, linguistic, literary, and general discussions of language. It is usually countable, with the plural “vowels.”
Easily confused with vowel
A vowel is a type of speech sound, whereas vocal is chiefly an adjective meaning relating to the voice or consisting of words sung rather than spoken.
A vowel is a speech sound, while a vow is a solemn promise.