aspirated h
The term "aspirated h" refers to the pronunciation of the letter 'h' with an audible breath, which affects its interaction with surrounding sounds.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1French Phonology
(technical, academic)In French, a silent 'h' at the start of a word that prevents the merging of sounds with the preceding word.
Example
- In 'le haut,' the 'h' is aspirated, so it is pronounced 'le oh' instead of 'loh'.
B2Phonetics
(technical)A sound produced with an audible burst of breath, often at the beginning of a word or syllable.
Example
- The 'h' in 'house' is aspirated, making the breathy sound at the start noticeable.