A weakening of articulation causing a consonant to become lenis (soft).(noun)
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Use "lenition" in a sentence
"This means that, as in Latin, the distribution of primary /f/ was defective in Etruscan. see linkFirst, Dosuna observes the same p-lenition as I've mentioned many timed before on Paleoglot, minus the conditioning by u."
"Strangely, Japanese too shows lenition of dental plosives neighbouring back vowels ie. specifically, the high back unrounded vowel u."
"If anything, the case for lip-rounding causing lenition of /p/ is even stronger given the co-articulation."