Vowel Definition

vouəl

vowels

noun

vowels

Any voiced speech sound characterized by generalized friction of the air passing in a continuous stream through the pharynx and opened mouth but with no constriction narrow enough to produce local friction; the sound of the greatest prominence in most syllables.

Webster's New World

A letter (as a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y) or a character or a symbol representing such a sound.

Webster's New World

A letter representing the sound of vowel; in English, the vowels are a, e, i, o and u, and sometimes y.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
vowel sound
open-voiced sound
digraph
diphthong
glide
vocoid

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
consonant

adjective

Of a vowel or vowels.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
vocalic
vocal

Other Word Forms of Vowel

Noun

Singular:

vowel

Plural:

vowels

Origin of Vowel

Middle English vowelle from Old French vouel from Latin (littera) vōcālis sounding (letter) from vōx vōc- voice wekw- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old French vouel (French: voyelle), from Latin vōcālis (“voiced").

From Wiktionary