What is "assibilation"

Assibilation \As*sib`i*la"tion\, n. Change of a non-sibilant letter to a sibilant, as of -tion to -shun, duke to ditch.

n. (context linguistics English) A sound change resulting in a sibilant consonant, commonly the final phase of palatalization.

1. n. the development of a consonant phoneme into a sibilant

2. pronunciation with a sibilant (hissing or whistling) sound [syn: sibilation]

In linguistics, assibilation is a sound change resulting in a sibilant consonant. It is a form of spirantization, as well as commonly the final phase of palatalization.