phonate

verb

pho·​nate ˈfō-ˌnāt 

phonated; phonating

intransitive verb

: to produce vocal sounds and especially speech

phonation

fō-ˈnā-shən 

noun

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from phonation, borrowed from French, from Greek phōnḗ "voice, speech" + French -ation -ation — more at phono-

Note: The French word has been credited to the anatomist François Chaussier (1746-1828), but it is not clear where or even if he used it in a publication.

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above