sibilance
- noun
- /ˈsɪbɪləns/
- Specialized
:
sibilancia
- These amplitude and level difference measures were designed to quantify the degree of sibilance (or /s/ "goodness") and the changes in noise source strength over time in different frequency regions of the spectrum.
- faint sibilance
Examples
-
Sibilance.
-
When his work in the pulpit required him to raise and project his voice to the back benches of the congregation, a pronounced lisp was revealed, each sibilance sounding like a whistle.
Academic text (2000) -
Sibilance.
-
"Oh, no, I don't think it's borscht," Netta answered, once again falling into that soft sibilance that marked her speech.
Fiction book (1992) -
The amplitude and level difference measures, AmpDM-LMin and LevelDM-H, as indices of sibilance, might serve to differentiate some cases of typical and misarticulated /s/.
Academic text (2013) -
During the recording session, the sound engineer worked hard to reduce the sibilance in the vocalist's performance to achieve a clearer sound.
-
The poem's rhythm was enhanced by the delicate sibilance of its 's' and 'sh' sounds, giving it a musical quality.
-
In audio editing, excessive sibilance can distract listeners, so it is important to adjust the levels when editing voice tracks.
Synonyms
44
2.6
A long sharp s sound made by animals, objects, or people to show disapproval
A hissing sound someone makes when they speak
A speech sound that makes a hissing noise, like s or sh
How Noisy
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
sibilance = sibilant (semi-transparent) = sibil + ance
Formally a regular noun derived from the adjective 'sibilant' (hissing), but the base is a technical/Latin-derived term that may be unfamiliar to many learners.
Etymology
Sibilance comes from the Latin sibilare, 'to hiss', and it names the bright 's' or 'sh' sounds that can be too strong in a voice recording. So audio engineers reduce sibilance to stop speech from sounding like a loud hiss.