What is an onset?

An onset is the part of the syllable that precedes the vowel of the syllable.

Here are some examples of syllables divided into onsets and rimes:

Context for this page:

• Concept module: onset
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): O
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 23 April 2002

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