A consonant characterized by a hissing sound (like s or sh).

synonym: sibilant consonant.

Dutch: sibilant

Of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both `thin' and `then').

synonyms: continuant, fricative, spirant, strident.

Roget 409: sibilant; hissing etc. v.; wheezy; sternutative^†.