Guttural Definition & Meaning from 601 Words

Guttural definition and meaning in real context and short passages from the book, 601 Words You Need to Know to Pass Your Exam. Learn the meaning of Guttural in authentic context and improve your advanced or scientific vocabulary.

/ˈgʌt.ər.əl/ (adj & noun)

Guttural definition

Adjective: (in linguistics and phonology) a speech sound produced or articulated at the bottom of the throat, and as a result, very deep, husky, throaty, harsh, croaky, raucous, gruff-sounding, gruff, growly, rasping

Noun: a guttural sound especially a guttural consonant

Example

In the boys’ adventure stories I would read sixty years ago, the baddies often spoke in ‘guttural’ tones. Not only German and Arabic, but also Welsh, Hebrew, and Dutch are still occasionally referred to popularly as ‘guttural’ languages.

A hundred and fifty years ago ‘guttural’ was in use as a technical term in phonetics, as a descriptor for a place of articulation. In 1869 A. J. Ellis wrote:

The guttural nasal seems to have been the regular pronunciation of ng in English.

Source of example: http://phonetic-blog.blogspot.com

Antonyms

dulcet, melodious

Parts of speech

Noun: gutturalism

Noun: gutturality

Noun: gutturalness

Adverb: gutturally

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