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obstruent

[ ob-stroo-uhnt ]
/ ˈɒb stru ənt /
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See synonyms for obstruent on Thesaurus.com
adjective
Medicine/Medical. (of a substance) producing an obstruction.
Phonetics. (of a speech sound) characterized by stoppage or obstruction of the flow of air from the lungs.Compare sonorant.
noun
Medicine/Medical. a medicine that closes the natural passages of the body.
Phonetics. an obstruent speech sound; a stop, fricative, or affricate.Compare sonorant (def. 2).
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Origin of obstruent

1660–70; <Latin obstruent- (stem of obstruēns, present participle of obstruere); see obstruct, -ent

OTHER WORDS FROM obstruent

un·ob·stru·ent, adjectiveun·ob·stru·ent·ly, adverb

Words nearby obstruent

obstreperous, obstruct, obstruction, obstructionist, obstructive, obstruent, obtain, obtaining by deception, obtect, obtemper, obtest
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to obstruent

in the way

British Dictionary definitions for obstruent

obstruent
/ (ˈɒbstrʊənt) med /
adjective
causing obstruction, esp of the intestinal tract
noun
anything that causes obstruction

Word Origin for obstruent

C17: from Latin obstruere to obstruct
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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