syllable: a vowel (or a diphthong) together with the consonants that depend on it. Syllables carry the pulse or beat of speech. Sometimes syllables are marked off from each other by a period [1]; e.g., you might write con.so.nants to show the syllables of the word "consonants". Sometimes the symbols C and V are used to show syllabic structure; e.g., you might say that the syllabic structure of "consonants" is CVC.CV.CVCCC. See also: stress, ultima, penult, antepenult, syllabary. [Spanish: sílaba]