Definitions For Approximant

Noun

APPROXIMANT (plural APPROXIMANTs) (phonetics) A consonant sound made by slightly narrowing the vocal tract, while still allowing a smooth flow of air. liquid, liquids and glides are approximants. : {{hypo, en, liquid, glide, semivowel}} : {{coordinate terms, en, fricative, lateral, nasal, trill, plosive}} (mathematics) An approximation to the solution of a function, series, etc. : {{coordinate terms, en, approximand, approximate, approximation}}

Derived terms

padé approximant

Translations

Armenian: ձայնորդ, sc=Armn Chinese: : Mandarin: 近音 Czech: {{t-needed, cs}} Finnish: approksimantti French: spirante, f, approximante, f German: Approximant, m, Näherungslaut, m Hungarian: approximáns, közelítőhang Icelandic: nálgunarhljóð, n, nándarhljóð, n Latvian: {{t-needed, lv}} Lithuanian: {{t-needed, lt}} Persian: ناسوده (nâsude) Portuguese: aproximante, f Romanian: {{t-needed, ro}} Russian: {{t-needed, ru}} Slovak: {{t-needed, sk}} Swedish: approximant, c Ukrainian: {{t-needed, uk}} Welsh: dynesolyn, m mathematics: approximation, approximation

See also

consonant

Etymology

From {{bor, en, la, approximāns}}. In the phonetics sense first used by {{w, Peter Ladefoged}} {{cite-book