(of a consonant) coming immediately before a vowel
Derived forms
prevocalically (ˌprevoˈcalically)
adverb
prevocalic in American English
(ˌprivoʊˈkælɪk)
adjective
coming just before a vowel
prevocalic in American English
(ˌprivouˈkælɪk)
adjective
Phonetics
immediately preceding a vowel
Derived forms
prevocalically
adverb
Word origin
[1905–10; pre- + vocalic]This word is first recorded in the period 1905–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: airway, one-shot, overcall, push-up, revolving doorpre- is a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, where it meant “before”(preclude; prevent); applied freely as a prefix, with the meanings “prior to,” “in advance of,” “early,”“beforehand,” “before,” “in front of,” and with other figurative meanings (preschool; prewar; prepay: preoral; prefrontal)