verb
- to convert (a sound) into a sibilant sound, especially to change a stop or affricate into a fricative or sibilant
Usage: linguistics; phonetics
Examples
- In some dialects, the /t/ sound assibilates to /ts/ before certain vowels.
- Historical sound changes show how Latin /t/ assibilates in Romance languages.
- The linguist explained how the consonant assibilates in rapid speech.
- When /d/ assibilates, it becomes a voiced sibilant fricative.
- Certain phonological rules cause stops to assibilate in specific environments.