zweilippig

Zweilippig is a linguistic term that means "two-lipped" and is used primarily in German-language phonetics to describe consonants articulated with both lips. The word is formed from zwei (two) and Lippen (lips) with the adjectival suffix -ig, and it corresponds to the English term bilabial.

In phonetic usage, zweilippige Konsonanten include actions where the lips come together to produce sounds. The core set comprises bilabial stops such as p and b, and the bilabial nasal m. Some languages also feature bilabial approximants or fricatives, such as a bilabial approximant like w in languages that have it, or other bilabial consonants depending on the phonemic inventory of a language. The exact repertoire of zweilippige Konsonanten varies cross-linguistically.

Zweilippig is a subset of labial sounds. The broader category, labial, also includes sounds produced with the lips and other articulators, such as labiodental sounds formed with the lower lip and upper teeth (for example f and v). While zweilippig is commonly used as a descriptive term in German phonology, the standard international term in most contexts is bilabial.

Origin and usage: The word derives from German zwei and Lippen, with the suffix -ig. In cross-language descriptions, bilabial is the equivalent English term, but zweilippig remains a familiar descriptor within German-language phonetic literature. See also bilabial, labial sounds, and articulatory phonetics.