adjective
palatal
PAL-uh-tuhl
Palatal (adjective) means relating to the palate, the roof of the mouth. Example: “The surgeon examined the palatal tissue behind the front teeth.”
adjective
1
anatomy Relating to the palate, the roof of the mouth.
"The surgeon examined the palatal tissue behind the front teeth."
"A palatal cleft can make feeding difficult for a newborn."
"The dentist noted some swelling on the palatal side of the tooth."
2
phonetics Made with the tongue raised against the hard palate.
"The first sound in the word yes is a palatal sound."
"Linguists describe the y sound as palatal."
"Some languages have more palatal consonants than English does."
noun
1
phonetics A consonant made with the tongue against the hard palate.
"The y in yellow is a palatal."
"The students practiced pronouncing each palatal in the list."
"A palatal can be hard for some learners to tell apart from other consonants."
How to use palatal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving to do with the palate, the roof of your mouth, or with sounds made there.
When to use it
It is a technical word used mostly in anatomy, dentistry, and linguistics.
Memory tip
Do not confuse palatal with palatable, which describes food that tastes acceptable.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
palatal consonant
palatal sound
palatal surface
palatal cleft
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The surgeon examined the _____ tissue behind the front teeth.
Etymology
The word was formed in English from palate and the suffix -al, which makes adjectives meaning relating to something.
Rhymes for palatal
See all rhymes for palatal →Frequently asked questions
What does palatal mean?
Palatal means relating to the palate, the roof of the mouth. In phonetics, it describes sounds made with the tongue against the hard palate.
What is a palatal consonant?
It is a consonant made with the tongue raised toward the hard palate. The y sound in yes is an example.
How do you pronounce palatal?
In American English it is usually said PAL-uh-tuhl, with the stress on the first syllable.
What is the meaning of palatal?
"palatal" (adjective) means relating to the palate, the roof of the mouth.
