Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to assibilate

to assibilate

9.9
To change a sound into a hissing sound like s or sh
  • verb
  • /əˈsɪbɪˌleɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : asibilizar
  • The sound /t/ may assibilate into /ts/ in some dialects.

Examples

  • Some Romance languages assibilate the /t/ before certain vowels.

  • Linguists note that the /d/ can assibilate to /dz/ depending on the phonetic environment.

  • Linguists often assibilate certain consonants in specific dialects.

  • The teacher assibilated the sounds during the phonetics lesson.

  • In some dialects, the /d/ can assibilate into a sibilant sound like /dz/ when followed by a vowel.

  • When pronouncing words, speakers may assibilate the /t/ sound before the vowels in specific linguistic contexts.

  • Children learning phonetics often hear how /t/ can assibilate to /ts/ in various languages.

Surface Forms

assibilate infinitive
assibilated past
assibilated past participle
assibilating present participle
assibilates third person singular

Morphology

assibilate = sibilate (transparent) = as + sibil + ate

Formed by the prefix 'as-' attached to the verb 'sibilate' (to make a hissing sound), so the meaning 'to make sibilant' is directly derived.

Etymology

Assibilate comes from the Latin sibilare, which means 'to hiss', and it shares the same root as sibilant and the English word 'hiss'. So to assibilate a sound is to change it into a 'hissing' or 'sibilant' sound.