Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
palatal
Adjective
/ˈpæl.ə.təl/
Definition
Relating to the palate or roof of the mouth, or sounds articulated with the body of the tongue raised against the hard palate.
Examples
- The sound ‘y’ in ‘yes’ is a palatal sound.
- In anatomy, the palatal region is essential for the proper function of speech.
- Palatalization is a process that can occur in phonetics and phonology.
Meaning
The term ‘palatal’ can refer to the placement of the tongue when making certain sounds in language, or it can describe something that pertains to the palate in anatomy.
Synonyms
- palate
- lingual (in phonetics context)
