lenited
/ˈlɛnɪtɪd/
adjective
- Describing a consonant that has been made softer or weaker in pronunciation.
- The lenited form of the letter appears in many Celtic languages.
- The lenited 'b' sounded more like a 'v' in that position.
- Students practiced saying lenited consonants in their Irish language class.
verb
- Past tense of lenite: (in linguistics) made a consonant softer or weaker in pronunciation.
- When the prefix was added, the initial consonant lenited as expected.
- The linguist explained how the 'k' sound lenited to 'h' in that dialect.
- In Old Irish, certain consonants lenited when they appeared between vowels.