Labials are consonants articulated with both lips (
bilabial articulation) or with the lower lip and the upper teeth (
labiodental articulation). English [m] is a bilabial
nasal; [p] and [b] are bilabial
stops; [f] and [v] are labiodental
fricatives. Bilabial fricatives are less common but do occur in many languages; for example, the Spanish consonant spelt
b or
v is pronounced as a voiced bilabial fricative [B] between vowels.
Lip rounding, or labialisation can also accompany other articulations, see labiovelars.
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