approximant

== English == === Etymology === From Latin approximāns. In the phonetics sense first used by Peter Ladefoged, the mathematical concept is attributed to Paul Halmos. === Pronunciation === (US) IPA(key): /əˈpɹɑksəmənt/ (UK) IPA(key): /əˈpɹɒksɪmənt/ === Noun === approximant (plural approximants) (phonetics) A consonant sound made by slightly narrowing the vocal tract, while still allowing a smooth flow of air. Liquids and glides are approximants. Hypernyms: sonorant, resonant Hyponyms: liquid, glide, semivowel Coordinate terms: fricative, lateral, nasal, trill, plosive (mathematics) An approximation to the solution of a function, series, etc. Coordinate terms: approximand, approximate, approximation ==== Derived terms ==== Padé approximant ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== consonant === References === === Further reading === approximant on Wikipedia.Wikipedia == French == === Pronunciation === === Participle === approximant present participle of approximer == Latin == === Verb === approximant third-person plural present active indicative of approximō