GUTTURAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does guttural mean? 

• GUTTURAL (noun)
  The noun GUTTURAL has 1 sense:

1. a consonant articulated in the back of the mouth or throat

  Familiarity information: GUTTURAL used as a noun is very rare.

• GUTTURAL (adjective)
  The adjective GUTTURAL has 2 senses:

1. like the sounds of frogs and crows

2. relating to or articulated in the throat

  Familiarity information: GUTTURAL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GUTTURAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A consonant articulated in the back of the mouth or throat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

guttural; guttural consonant; pharyngeal; pharyngeal consonant

Hypernyms ("guttural" is a kind of...):

consonant (a speech sound that is not a vowel)

Derivation:

guttural (relating to or articulated in the throat)

• GUTTURAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Like the sounds of frogs and crows

Synonyms:

croaky; guttural

Context example:

acres of guttural frogs

Similar:

cacophonic; cacophonous (having an unpleasant sound)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Relating to or articulated in the throat

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

the glottal stop and uvular 'r' and 'ch' in German 'Bach' are guttural sounds

Pertainym:

throat (the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone)

Derivation:

guttural (a consonant articulated in the back of the mouth or throat)

 Context examples 

The Baron looked at his watch and gave a guttural exclamation of disappointment.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

To their ears came the sounds of dogs wrangling and scuffling, the guttural cries of men, the sharper voices of scolding women, and once the shrill and plaintive cry of a child.

(White Fang, by Jack London)