Which term describes a consonant made with both lips?

Which term describes a consonant made with both lips?

• A. Labiodental
• B. Bilabial
• C. Dental
• D. Alveolar

Answer: (B)

Consonants are classified by where in the vocal tract they’re formed. When a consonant uses both lips, it’s described as bilabial. Think of sounds you make by pressing both lips together and then releasing air, like the sounds you hear in p, b, and m. These are classic bilabial examples because the lips are the primary articulators. Other categories point to different articulators: labiodental involves the lip and the teeth (f, v), dental uses the tongue against the teeth, and alveolar uses the tongue against the ridge just behind the teeth (t, d, s, z). So the term for a consonant made with both lips is bilabial.

Consonants are classified by where in the vocal tract they’re formed. When a consonant uses both lips, it’s described as bilabial. Think of sounds you make by pressing both lips together and then releasing air, like the sounds you hear in p, b, and m. These are classic bilabial examples because the lips are the primary articulators.

Other categories point to different articulators: labiodental involves the lip and the teeth (f, v), dental uses the tongue against the teeth, and alveolar uses the tongue against the ridge just behind the teeth (t, d, s, z). So the term for a consonant made with both lips is bilabial.