Pronunciation lɪˈnɪʃn

A phonological process which weakens sounds along the following strength hierarchy (> means ‘stronger than’):

plosive>fricative>approximant>vowel>h>zero.

The change from voiceless to voiced is also viewed as lenition. An example from Welsh: basged ˈbasged (= “basket”), y ˈfasged ə vasged (= “the basket”).

Compare fortition.