lenis: Meaning and Definition of

le•nis

Pronunciation: (lē'nis, lā'-), [key]
— adj., n., pl. le•nes
—adj.
  1. pronounced with relatively weak muscular tension and breath pressure, resulting in weak sound effect: in stressed or unstressed position, (b, d, g, j, v, &thslash;, z, and zh) are lenis in English, as compared with (p, t, k, ch, f, th, s, and sh), which are fortis. Cf. fortis (def. 1).
—n.
  1. a lenis consonant.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.