plosive: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Academic, Technical, Linguistic
Quick answer
What does “plosive” mean?
A consonant sound produced by completely blocking the airflow and then releasing it suddenly, such as /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A consonant sound produced by completely blocking the airflow and then releasing it suddenly, such as /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/.
In phonetics, a category of stops or occlusives characterized by a rapid release of built-up air pressure from the vocal tract. The term is often used in linguistics, speech therapy, and language teaching to describe this manner of articulation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is technical and used identically in both linguistic traditions.
Connotations
Neutral, technical, descriptive. Associated with academic and scientific discourse about language.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general language but standard in phonetics and linguistics textbooks worldwide.
Grammar
How to Use “plosive” in a Sentence
The plosive [phoneme] is articulated at the [place of articulation].English has six primary plosive sounds.[Sound] is a voiceless bilabial plosive.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “plosive” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The tutor asked him to plosive the syllable more clearly.
- She was plosiving the final /t/ with excessive force.
American English
- Try not to plosive the /p/ so strongly in casual speech.
- The actor plosived his lines for dramatic effect.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Core term in phonetics, linguistics, and language studies.
Everyday
Extremely rare, except when discussing language learning or speech characteristics.
Technical
Essential term in speech therapy, acoustic engineering, and linguistics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “plosive”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “plosive”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “plosive”
- Pronouncing it as /plɒzɪv/ or /plɑːsɪv/.
- Confusing 'plosive' (a sound type) with 'affricate' (a plosive + fricative sequence like /tʃ/).
- Using it as a general adjective for anything explosive (e.g., 'a plosive argument' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In many contexts, yes, they are used interchangeably. However, some linguists reserve 'plosive' for stops with a pulmonic egressive airstream mechanism and an audible release burst, while 'stop' is a broader category.
English has six primary plosives: /p/ (voiceless bilabial), /b/ (voiced bilabial), /t/ (voiceless alveolar), /d/ (voiced alveolar), /k/ (voiceless velar), /g/ (voiced velar).
It comes from the Latin 'plaudere' meaning 'to clap, strike', via the past participle 'plosus'. It refers to the striking together of the articulators and the subsequent explosive release of air.
Use a pop filter (windscreen) in front of the microphone, speak slightly off-axis from the microphone, or practice softer articulation of bilabial plosives (/p/, /b/).
A consonant sound produced by completely blocking the airflow and then releasing it suddenly, such as /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/.
Plosive is usually academic, technical, linguistic in register.
Plosive: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpləʊsɪv/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈploʊsɪv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. The term is strictly technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'PLOSive' like 'EXPLOSIVE' – the sound explodes out after being stopped.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PLOSIVE IS A PRESSURE RELEASE (blocked airflow builds pressure like a dam, then releases suddenly).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a plosive sound in English?