- sibilant (adj.)
- 1669, from L. sibilantem (nom. sibilans), prp. of sibilare "to hiss, whistle," possibly of imitative origin (cf. Gk. sizein "to hiss," Lett. sikt "to hiss," O.C.S. svistati "to hiss, whistle"). The noun meaning "speech sound having a hissing effect" is from 1788.