Definition of nonsyllabic

• not forming a syllable or the nucleus of a syllable; consisting of a consonant sound accompanied in the same syllable by a vowel sound or consisting of a vowel sound dominated by other vowel sounds in a syllable (as the second vowel in a falling diphthong); "the nonsyllabic `n in `botany when it is pronounced `botny"; "the nonsyllabic `i in `oi"
• (of speech sounds) not forming or capable of forming the nucleus of a syllable; "initial l in little is nonsyllabic"