Sonorize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To make a speech sound more resonant or fuller in quality ; to voice a consonant so that the vocal cords vibrate during its articulation
2. Giving a sound greater resonance or richness of tone ; causing a normally unvoiced consonant to become voiced in pronunciation
3. Making a tone more sonorous and vibrant ; altering a consonant so that it is pronounced with vocal cord vibration

Etymology: Latin "sonor" meant "sound" or "noise," and the adjective "sonorus," built on it, gave English "sonorous" for deep, resounding voices and ringing bells. A sonorous thing rings out fully, so the root has always been about volume and resonance rather than mere noise. "Sonorize" takes that adjective and adds the suffix "-ize," which turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning to make it or make it more so. The suffix comes from Greek "-izein," reached English through Latin "-izare," and here means to give something greater fullness of sound. The formation is plain: a Latin-derived root plus a common verb-forming ending.

Synonyms: amplify, resound

Antonyms: muffle, deaden, mute