A continuant consonant produced by breath moving against a narrowing of the vocal tract

• Consonant such as "f" or "v"
• Strong consonant
• Fricative
• Speech sound
• Talent show contestant

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
adj. of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both `thin' and `then') [syn: fricative , sibilant ]

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Spirant \Spi"rant\, n. [L. spirans, -antis, p. pr. of spirare to breathe. See Spirit .] (Phon.) A term used differently by different authorities; -- by some as equivalent to fricative, -- that is, as including all the continuous consonants, except the nasals ...

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
breathy consonant, 1862, from Latin spirantem (nominative spirans ) "breathing," present participle of spirare "to breathe, blow" (see spirit (n.)).

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. (context linguistics archaic English) A fricative.