Schwa
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ʃwɑ/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Schwa is a noun meaning (phonetics) An indeterminate central vowel sound as the "a" in "about", represented as /ə/ in IPA.
Meaning
(phonetics) An indeterminate central vowel sound as the "a" in "about", represented as /ə/ in IPA.
More Meanings
- The name of the Latin script letter Ə/ə.
- (phonetics, of a vowel sound, rare) To be reduced to schwa.
- Alternative form of shva.
Example Sentences
However, word-final unstressed schwa is deleted even by the speakers from South Albania, though to different degrees and dependant on the speech style[…]
The participle has also, owing to the accent, the lightest possible forms; but here there was no reduplication, and so in class I. the "schwa" took the form e before single mutes or fricatives, and elsewhere o.
Word Forms
- schwas
- schwaing
- schwaed
Synonyms for schwa
Depending on context, synonyms include shwa.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include shwa, epenthesis, epenthetic, a-schwa, schwi, schwar.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.