approximant

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approximant

/əˈpɹɑksəmənt/ US
/əˈpɹɒksɪmənt/ UK

Where it comes from

From Latin approximāns. In the phonetics sense first used by Peter Ladefoged, the mathematical concept is attributed to Paul Halmos.

noun approximants

A consonant sound made by slightly narrowing the vocal tract, while still allowing a smooth flow of air. Liquids and glides are approximants.
An approximation to the solution of a function, series, etc.

Translations

Every language

noun consonant made by slightly narrowing the vocal tract

日本語	接近音 sekkinon
中文	近音 jìnyīn
Português	aproximante
Français	spirante, approximante
Deutsch	Approximant, Näherungslaut

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Cite this

MLA

"approximant." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/approximant. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

approximant. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/approximant

Chicago

"approximant." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/approximant.

BibTeX

@misc{approximant_2026,
  title = {approximant},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/approximant},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}