= Consonant
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A <consonant> is a speech sound articulated with a closure or constriction that significantly shapes or interrupts airflow. Its physical description typically specifies <place of articulation>, <manner of articulation> and <voicing>. These describe where the articulators act, how the air passes and whether the <vocal folds> vibrate.<Essentials of Linguistics by Catherine Anderson>[Section2.6, Classifying Consonants]{ref}
The sounds `[p]` and `[b]` both involve the lips and a closure, but differ in their usual <voicing> classification. A sustained `[m]` also closes the lips, while opening a route through the nose: an oral closure does not imply that all airflow stops. The distinction between a <plosive> and a <nasal consonant> therefore depends on airflow paths, not merely the fact that two lips touch.
The category concerns speech sounds, rather than letters: a written symbol's name and its sound in a particular word are different objects of study. A <consonant> can also function as a <syllabic consonant>, so a <syllable nucleus> is not invariably a <vowel>.
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