The story
- Latin · borrowed fromapproximāns
- English todayapproximant
From Latin approximāns. In the phonetics sense first used by Peter Ladefoged, the mathematical concept is attributed to Paul Halmos.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
approximant
Today it means: A consonant sound made by slightly narrowing the vocal tract, while still allowing a smooth flow of air. Liquids and glides are approximants. Full definition →
Latin approximāns