sonority

[/səˈnɔrɪti/]
nounfemininepl: sonorities
sonoridade
1. the quality of being sonorous; the state or property of producing deep, clear, and resonant sound
The sonority of the church bells echoed through the valley.
A sonoridade dos sinos da igreja ecoava pelo vale.
2. in phonetics, the relative loudness of a speech sound determined by the vowel quality and consonant type
In linguistics, vowels have greater sonority than consonants.
Em linguística, as vogais têm maior sonoridade que as consoantes.
3. the quality of being impressive or imposing in sound; grandeur or magnificence of tone
The poet's use of language had a remarkable sonority.
O uso da linguagem pelo poeta tinha uma sonoridade notável.
The term 'sonority' is frequently used in Brazilian and Portuguese literary criticism, musical education, and linguistic studies. In both English-speaking and Portuguese-speaking contexts, it carries connotations of aesthetic quality and is often employed when discussing the beauty and impact of spoken or musical sound.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
resonanceresonancyeuphonymellownessrichnessfullness of sound
Antonyms / Antônimos
harshnessdiscorddissonancecacophony

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
sonoridade
standard and widely used term in both formal and informal contexts
São Paulo
sonoridade
common in academic and musical discussions
Portugal
sonoridade
identical usage; standard Portuguese term
United States
sonority
commonly used in linguistics, music theory, and literary analysis

Related Words

sonorousresonantmelodiousacousticphonetic

Related Idioms & Phrases

the sonority of one's voice
rich sonority
hollow sonority
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