fricative, a. and n.
(ˈfrɪkətɪv)
[ad. mod.L. fricātīv-us, f. L. fricāre to rub: see -ative.]
A. adj.
1. Of a consonant-sound: Produced by the friction of the breath through a narrow opening between two of the mouth-organs.
| 1860 Marsh Eng. Lang. 489 The b..showing no tendency to the more explosive articulation of some of the German dialects, or the more fricative of the Spanish. 1875 Whitney Life Lang. iv. 61 A sound of very different character, a fricative consonant. 1883 [see faucal n.]. |
2. ‘Sounded by friction, as certain musical instruments’ (Cent. Dict.).
B. n. A fricative consonant.
| 1863 Lepsius Standard Alphabet 68, H belongs, therefore, to the unvocalised strong fricatives. |