Sibilant Consonants

Sibilant consonants are a group of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a narrow channel formed by the tongue and the roof of the mouth, creating a hissing or hushing sound. Examples include the sounds of “s,” “sh,” “z,” and “zh” in words like “sit,” “ship,” “zoo,” and “measure.” These sounds are characterized by their sharp, high-frequency noise, which makes them stand out in speech. Sibilants are common across languages and play a key role in distinguishing word meanings.