continuant

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

continuant
    adj 1: of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a
           constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both
           `thin' and `then') [syn: {fricative}, {continuant},
           {sibilant}, {spirant}, {strident}]
    n 1: consonant articulated by constricting (but not closing) the
         vocal tract [syn: {continuant consonant}, {continuant}]
         [ant: {occlusive}, {plosive}, {plosive consonant}, {plosive
         speech sound}, {stop}, {stop consonant}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Continuant \Con*tin"u*ant\, a.
   Continuing; prolonged; sustained; as, a continuant sound. --
   n. A continuant sound; a letter whose sound may be prolonged.
   [1913 Webster]