a consonant produced without sound from the vocal cords
<noun.communication> [ adj ]
produced without vibration of the vocal cords
<adj.all> unvoiced consonants such as `p' and `k' and `s'
Surd \Surd\, n. (Math.) 1. A quantity which can not be expressed by rational numbers; thus, [root]2 is a surd.
2. (Phon.) A surd element of speech. See {Surd}, a., 4.
Surd \Surd\, a. [L. surdus deaf (whence the meaning, deaf to reason, irrational), perhaps akin to E. swart. Cf. {Sordine}.] 1. Net having the sense of hearing; deaf. [Obs.] ``A surd . . . generation.'' --Sir T. Browne.
2. Unheard. [Obs.] --Kenrick.
3. (Math.) Involving surds; not capable of being expressed in rational numbers; radical; irrational; as, a surd expression or quantity; a surd number.
4. (Phonetics) Uttered, as an element of speech, without tone, or proper vocal sound; voiceless; unintonated; nonvocal; atonic; whispered; aspirated; sharp; hard, as f, p, s, etc.; -- opposed to sonant. See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect]169, 179, 180.