French word

strident

Pronunciation

IPA/stʁidɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adjectiveshrill

Example

Son rire strident attire l'attention.

His shrill laugh attracts attention.

Illustration for strident (shrill)

Core concept

A needle-sharp, piercing sound that cuts through surrounding noise.

Similar words

aigu: High-pitched and clear, with a bright, pointed sound.
perçant: Sharp and penetrating, carrying distinctly over other sounds.
criard: Harshly shrill and uncomfortable to hear.

Definition in French

Qui produit un son aigu et perçant, souvent désagréable pour l'oreille.

Word origin

French strident comes from Latin strīdēns, the present participle of strīdēre, meaning to grate or produce a harsh sound.

Usage tips

  • French strident is pronounced roughly /stʁi.dɑ̃/, with the final t silent, unlike English strident.

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