Approximant

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /əˈprÉ‘ksɪmÉ™nt/

Noun

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

Related terms

• liquid
• glide
• consonant