sonorant, in phonetics, any of the nasal, liquid, and glideconsonants that are marked by a continuing resonant sound. Sonorants have more acoustic energy than other consonants. In English the sonorants are y, w, l, r, m, n, and ng. See alsonasal; liquid.
Feedback
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "sonorant". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Oct. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/sonorant. Accessed 11 May 2025.
