noun

sibilance

/ˈsɪbɪləns/ · say it: SIB·uh·luhns

the repetition of soft consonant sounds like s and sh

In Literary English

In more detail

1. (noun) a hissing sound, like that made by the letters 's' and 'z'

2. (noun) in poetry and prose, the repetition of hissing sounds for a particular effect

Examples

1. The sibilance of the snake made a sharp hissing noise.
2. The poet used sibilance in the line 'the soft, subtle sound of the sea'.

How to use sibilance

Sibilance refers both to naturally occurring hissing sounds (especially in speech and audio contexts where they may cause problems) and to a deliberate literary device where poets or writers repeat sibilant consonants for aesthetic or phonetic effect. It is more commonly encountered in literary analysis and phonetics than in everyday conversation.

Common phrases

sibilance of the sea
sibilance in speech
poetic sibilance
excessive sibilance
soft sibilance

Synonyms

hissing · sibilant sound · sibilation · hiss

Word family

sibilant (adjective/noun) · sibilantly (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse sibilance with alliteration, though sibilance is specifically about the repetition of hissing sounds, whereas alliteration involves any repeated consonant sound at the beginning of words.

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