- pronounced with relatively weak muscular tension and breath pressure, resulting in weak sound effect: in stressed or unstressed position, (b, d, g, j, v, th̸, z, and zh) are lenis in English, as compared with (p, t, k, ch, f, th, s, and sh), which are fortis.
- a lenis consonant.
- (of a consonant) articulated with weak muscular tension
- a consonant, such as English b or v, pronounced with weak muscular force
