Spī'rant, n.

n. [Lat. spirans, spirantis, p. pr. of spirare, to breathe.] (Pron.) A consonant sound uttered with perceptible expiration, or emission of breath; a continuous or fricative consonant; —a word of occasional modern use, differently employed by different authorities; in some, indicating f, v, th surd and sonant, and the German ch; in others, these with the sibilants; in others, both these classes, with y and w.