D defs.my
Entry 1 sense Webster, 1913

Devocalize

· De·vo·cal·ize · IPA
01 v. t. To make toneless; to deprive of vowel quality.
  1. 1.
    To make toneless; to deprive of vowel quality.
    “If we take a high vowel, such as (i) [= nearly i of bit], and devocalize it, we obtain a hiss which is quite distinct enough to stand for a weak (jh).” — H. Sweet.