define sibilant
Of, characterized by, or producing a hissing sound like that of (s) or (sh): the sibilant consonants; a sibilant bird call. noun. A sibilant speech sound, such as English (s), (sh), (z), or (zh). Latin sÄ«bilÄns, sÄ«bilant- , present participle of sÄ«bilÄre, to hiss.