Aspirate
/ˈæspərət/verb
To pronounce with an exhalation of air.
In English, you aspirate the 'h' in 'hello'.
Often appears as...
- aspirate the sound
- aspirate the letters
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Pronunciation Practice
To master 'aspirate', practice with a candle; if it flickers, you're doing it right.
Aspiring actors learn to aspirate 'T' and 'P' sounds clearly.
Pro Tip 2/3Voiceless Sounds
'Aspirate' typically occurs before voiceless consonants like 'p, t, k' in English.
Try not to aspirate the 'p' in 'spin'; it's less common there.
Pro Tip 3/3Silent Letters
In some words, 'h' is silent, so don’t aspirate when it’s not needed.
You aspirate 'h' in 'hello', but not in 'honest'.
Compare with
aspirebreathe incravedesiredraw ininhaleinspiratorysuck in
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