sibilance

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The quality of being sibilant: a hissing quality.

   “The Pet Shop Boys are yet another synth-pop duo, albeit one that is not quite out of the closet. […] In past interviews, however, they [the Pet Shop Boys] have referred to their sound as "specifically gay disco," and their lyrics have that certain queenly something that lead singer Neil Tennant sings with an adorable sibilance.”

   “The following exercises help combat sibilance, plosives, lazy tongue, and mouth problems.”

   “A string of words beginning with ‘s’ will cause sibilance.”

   “Work to control the sibilance of your s sounds.”

   “Most often sending the vocal through a de-esser will either eliminate the sibilance or greatly reduce its sound.”