vowel
noun
vow·el
| \ ËvauÌ(-É)l
\
\
Definition of vowel
1
: one of a class of speech sounds in the articulation of which the oral part of the breath channel is not blocked and is not constricted enough to cause audible friction
broadly
: the one most prominent sound in a syllable
2
: a letter or other symbol representing a vowel
—usually used in English of a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y
Examples of vowel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What defeats Hughes is not her short game so much as the fade of her long and lofted vowels. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, "âWhereâd You Go, Bernadette?â Is at Cate Blanchettâs Command," 16 Aug. 2019 Perhaps my muse is getting closer logically, but now all the vowels of the lyrics have been thrown off. — Maria Shine Stewart, cleveland.com, "Summer is not in low gear in the Hillcrest area: Sun Messages," 29 July 2019 Perecâs longest and most intricate novel, was arrived at via constraints more baroque than simply dropping a vowel. — Paul Grimstad, The New Yorker, "The Absolute Originality of Georges Perec," 16 July 2019 Oxfordâs vowels are not inherently superior to Sunderlandâs; foreign speakers of English rate RP no more positively than other varieties. — The Economist, "In British politics, posh pronunciation reigns," 4 July 2019 Lunar surface communications were voice-activated and subject to interference, so a vowel could easily have been dropped. — Jennifer Bogo, Popular Mechanics, "The Oral History of Apollo 11," 18 July 2019 Wondering what a Hawaiian party is called, and if being at one would be more fun than doing the crossword. Accessing your encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible and all its characters, especially the ones with vowel-heavy names. — Colin Stokes Ellis Rosen, The New Yorker, "Facial Expressions for Reacting to the New York Times Crossword," 17 July 2019 James Callaghan had traces of the West Country in his vowels, and Harold Wilson slightly more Yorkshire. — The Economist, "In British politics, posh pronunciation reigns," 4 July 2019 The games take on a Hatfield vs. McCoys vibe, except all the playersâ names end in a vowel. — Lenny Megliola, BostonGlobe.com, "Bocce and fellowship at the Columbus Club," 10 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vowel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for vowel
vowel
noun
English Language Learners Definition of vowel
: a speech sound made with your mouth open and your tongue in the middle of your mouth not touching your teeth, lips, etc.
: a letter (such as a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y in English) that represents a vowel
See the full definition for vowel in the English Language Learners Dictionary
vowel
noun
vow·el
| \ ËvauÌ-Él
\
\
Kids Definition of vowel
1
: a speech sound (as \É\, \Ä\, or \ÈŻ\) produced without obstruction in the mouth
2
: a letter (as a, e, i, o, u) representing a vowel
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