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Webster 1913 Edition

S

S

(ĕs)
,
the nineteenth letter of the English alphabet, is a consonant, and is often called a sibilant, in allusion to its hissing sound. It has two principal sounds; one a mere hissing, as in sack, this; the other a vocal hissing (the same as that of z), as in is, wise. Besides these it sometimes has the sounds of sh and zh, as in sure, measure. It generally has its hissing sound at the beginning of words, but in the middle and at the end of words its sound is determined by usage. In a few words it is silent, as in isle, débris. With the letter h it forms the digraph sh. See Guide to pronunciation, §§ 255-261.
Both the form and the name of the letter S are derived from the Latin, which got the letter through the Greek from the Phoenician. The ultimate origin is Egyptian. S is etymologically most nearly related to c, z, t, and r; as, in ice, OE. is; E. hence, OE. hennes; E. rase, raze; erase, razor; that, G. das; E. reason, F. raison, L. ratio; E. was, were; chair, chaise (see C, Z, T, and R.).

Webster 1828 Edition

S

S

, the nineteenth letter of the English Alphabet, is a sibilant articulation, and numbered among the semi-vowels. It represents the hissing made by driving the breath between the end of the tongue and the roof of the mouth, just above the upper teeth. It has two uses; one to express a mere hissing, as in Sabbath, sack, sin, this, thus; the other a vocal hissing, precisely like that of z, as in muse, wise, pronounced muze, wize. It generally has its hissing sound at the beginning of all proper English words, but in the middle and end of words, its sound is to be known only by usage. In a few words it is silent, as in isle and viscount.
In abbreviations, S. stands for societas, society, or socius, fellow; as F.R.S. fellow of the Royal Society. In medical prescriptions, S.A. signifies secundem artem, according to the rules of art.
In the notes of the ancients, S. stands for Sextus; SP. for Spurius; S.C. for senatus consultum; S.P.Q.R. for senatus populusque Romanus; S.S.S. for stratum super stratum, one layer above another alternately; S.V.B.E.E.Q.V. for sivales, bene est, ego quoque valeo.
As a numeral, S. denoted seven. In the Italian music, S. signifies solo. In books of navigation and in common usage, S. stands for south; S.E. for south-east; S.W. for south-west; S.S.E. for south south-east; S.S.W. for south south-west, &c.

Definition 2024

Š

Š


Š U+0160, Š
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER S WITH CARON
Composition: S [U+0053] + ̌ [U+030C]
← ş
[U+015F] 		Latin Extended-A š →
[U+0161]

Translingual

Letter

Š upper case (lower case š)

  1. The letter S with a háček.

See also

Finnish

Letter

Š ‎(upper case, lower case š)

  1. The letter of the Finnish alphabet, called hattu-s or suhu-s and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

  • In the Finnish alphabet, Š is a variant of S.
  • Used only in loanwords.
  • Often written as s or sh.

See also

Latvian

Etymology

Proposed in 1908 as part of the new Latvian spelling by the scientific commission headed by K. Mīlenbahs, which was accepted and began to be taught in schools in 1909. Prior to that, Latvian had been written in German Fraktur, and sporadically in Cyrillic.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ʃ]

Letter

Š

Š ‎(upper case, lower case š)

  1. The twenty-seventh letter of the Latvian alphabet, called eš and written in the Latin script.

See also

Lithuanian

Letter

Š ‎(upper case, lower case š)

  1. 25th letter of the Lithuanian alphabet

Serbo-Croatian

Letter

Š ‎(upper case, lower case š, Cyrillic spelling Ш)

  1. 25th letter of the Serbo-Croatian alphabet

Skolt Sami

Pronunciation

  • (phoneme) IPA(key): /ʃ/

Letter

Š ‎(lower case š)

  1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Skolt Sami alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Slovene

Letter

Š ‎(capital, lowercase š)

  1. The 20th letter of the Slovene alphabet. Preceded by S and followed by T.

š

š

š U+0161, š
LATIN SMALL LETTER S WITH CARON
Composition: s [U+0073] + ̌ [U+030C]
← Š
[U+0160] 		Latin Extended-A Ţ →
[U+0162]
See also: Appendix:Variations of "s"

Translingual

Letter

š lower case (upper case Š)

  1. The letter s with a háček.

See also

Czech

Letter

š ‎(lower case, upper case Š)

  1. The thirtieth letter of the Czech alphabet, written in the Latin script.

Latvian

Etymology

Proposed in 1908 as part of the new Latvian spelling by the scientific commission headed by K. Mīlenbahs, which was accepted and began to be taught in schools in 1909. Prior to that, Latvian had been written in German Fraktur, and sporadically in Cyrillic.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ʃ]

Letter

Š

š ‎(lower case, upper case Š)

  1. The twenty-seventh letter of the Latvian alphabet, called eš and written in the Latin script.

See also

Livonian

Pronunciation

  • (phoneme) IPA(key): /ʃ/

Letter

š ‎(upper case Š)

  1. The thirty-second letter of the Livonian alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Serbo-Croatian

Alternative forms

  • (uppercase) Š

Pronunciation

  • (phoneme) IPA(key): /ʃ/

Letter

š ‎(Cyrillic spelling ш)

  1. The 25th letter of the Serbo-Croatian Latin alphabet (gajica), preceded by s and followed by t.

Skolt Sami

Pronunciation

  • (phoneme) IPA(key): /ʃ/

Letter

š ‎(upper case Š)

  1. The twenty-ninth letter of the Skolt Sami alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

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