A glottal stop is a type of consonant sound produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract. It occurs when the vocal cords come together and then release, creating a brief pause or catch in the voice. This sound is often represented by the symbol [ʔ] in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). In English, the glottal stop can be heard in some dialects, such as in the pronunciation of the word "button," where the "t" sound is replaced by a glottal stop. It is also common in languages like Arabic and Hawaiian, where it plays a significant role in distinguishing meanings between words.