consonantevocalconsonante

Consonantevocalconsonante is a term used in phonology to describe the syllable pattern consisting of a single consonant on the onset, a vowel as the nucleus, and a single consonant as the coda, i.e., CVC. The term emphasizes the three-part structure of the syllable: onset, nucleus, and coda. In many languages this configuration yields a closed syllable, because the final consonant ends the syllable.

In strict terms, a CVC syllable has one consonant in the onset and one in the coda. However, many descriptions use CVC to refer more generally to closed syllables with a single coda consonant, while more complex codas (two or more consonants) belong to categories such as CCVC, CVCC, or similar notations. Thus, CVC is often used as a representative pattern for simple, single-consonant codas, even when broader syllable types are discussed.

Examples illustrate the pattern: English words such as cat, map, and nap follow CVC; Spanish examples include pan (bread) and sol (sun). Languages differ in which consonants may appear in onset and coda positions, and which vowels or diphthongs may occur in the nucleus. Some languages permit a wider range of codas, while others restrict codas to a small set of consonants, or even disallow codas altogether, favoring open syllables (CV).

Applications of the concept include linguistic analysis of syllable structure, phonotactics, language description, and language teaching. It also informs fields such as speech processing and poetry, where syllable weight and patterns influence rhythm and meter.