| Adj. | 1. | nonsyllabic - not forming a syllable or the nucleus of a syllable; consisting of a consonant sound accompanied in the same syllable by a vowel sound or consisting of a vowel sound dominated by other vowel sounds in a syllable (as the second vowel in a falling diphthong); "the nonsyllabic `n' in `botany' when it is pronounced `botny'"; "the nonsyllabic `i' in `oi'" Synonyms: unsyllabic Antonyms: syllabic - consisting of a syllable or syllables; constituting a syllable or the nucleus of a syllable; consisting of a consonant sound not accompanied in the same syllable by a vowel sound or consisting of a vowel sound dominating the other vowel sounds in a syllable (as being the first vowel in a falling diphthong); "the syllabic `l' in `riddle' or the syllabic `n' in `botany' when it is pronounced `bot-n-y'"; "the syllabic `o' in `oi'" |
| 2. | nonsyllabic - of liquids and nasals Synonyms: nonvocalic, consonantal |