1. not forming or constituting a syllable
Usage: linguistics; phonetics

Examples

• The ‘y’ in ‘yes’ is nonsyllabic when it functions as a consonant.
• Nonsyllabic sounds do not form the center of a syllable.
• In phonetic analysis, we distinguish between syllabic and nonsyllabic consonants.
• The glide sounds in ‘wet’ and ‘yet’ are typically nonsyllabic.
• Linguists study how certain sounds can be either syllabic or nonsyllabic depending on context.
• The nonsyllabic nature of these consonants affects pronunciation patterns.