bilabial (adj.)

1857, "having or appearing to have two lips;" see bi- "two" + labial. In linguistics, of consonants pronounced with both lips, 1878. Alternative bilabiate is attested from 1794.

Entries linking to bilabial

bi-

word-forming element meaning "two, having two, twice, double, doubly, twofold, once every two," etc., from Latin bi- "twice, double," from Old Latin dvi- (cognate with Sanskrit dvi-, Greek di-, dis-, Old English twi-, German zwei- "twice, double"), from PIE root *dwo- "two."

Nativized from 16c. Occasionally bin- before vowels; this form originated in French, not Latin, and might be partly based on or influenced by Latin bini "twofold" (see binary). In chemical terms, it denotes two parts or equivalents of the substance referred to. Cognate with twi- and di- (1).

labial (adj.)

"pertaining to the lips," 1590s, from Medieval Latin labialis "having to do with the lips," from Latin labium "lip" (see lip (n.)). The noun meaning "a labial sound" (one accomplished by complete closure of the lips) is from 1660s, from the adjective in this sense (1590s). Related: Labially.

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updated on June 05, 2017

Definitions of bilabial from WordNet

bilabial (n.)

a consonant that is articulated using both lips; /p/ or /b/ or /w/;

bilabial (adj.)

of or relating to or being a speech sound that is articulated using both lips;

bilabial fricatives

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near bilabial

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