Voiced consonant
consonant pronounced with the larynx vibrating
In phonetics, a voiced consonant is a consonant which is pronounced with the vibration of the vocal cords. For example, the sound [z] is a voiced consonant (specifically a sibilant), while [s] is not, and it is called a voiceless consonant. You can feel when your vocal cords are vibrating by putting your finger at your larynx, or the Adam's apple.
Here are some examples of voiced and voiceless consonant pairs in English:
| Voiced consonant | Voiceless consonant |
|---|---|
| b (as in ball or web) | p (as in pop or tap) |
| d (as in dog or head) | t (as in toe or bat) |
| v (as in vase or have) | f (as in fun or laugh) |
Many languages have pairs of consonants like these.
