Definition of "fricative" [fric•a•tive]

• A consonant, such as f or s in English, produced by the forcing of breath through a constricted passage. Also called spirant. (noun)
• Of, relating to, or being a fricative consonant. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Now, considering the post you linked to regarding the potential phonetic realization of Minoan "d" and "z": would that man that "z" as a fricative is a "th" sound?"
• "With all the grace on offer, you quibble at the absence of the word "fricative"?"
• "I never noticed that "fricative" sounded close to a bad word, though, until I said it to my dad and he acted shocked."