palatal

[ pal-uh-tl ]

adjective
  1. Anatomy. of or relating to the palate.

  2. Phonetics. articulated with the blade of the tongue held close to or touching the hard palate.

noun
  1. Phonetics. a palatal consonant.

Origin of palatal

1
From French, dating back to 1820–30; see origin at palate, -al1

Other words from palatal

  • pal·a·tal·ism, pal·a·tal·i·ty, noun
  • pal·a·tal·ly, adverb
  • non·pal·a·tal, adjective, noun
  • pre·pal·a·tal, adjective
  • un·pal·a·tal, adjective
  • un·pal·a·tal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for palatal

palatal

/ (ˈpælətəl) /


adjective
  1. Also called: palatine of or relating to the palate

  2. phonetics of, relating to, or denoting a speech sound articulated with the blade of the tongue touching the hard palate

noun
  1. Also called: palatine the bony plate that forms the palate

  2. phonetics a palatal speech sound, such as the semivowel (j)

Derived forms of palatal

  • palatally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012