palatal

adjective

pal·​a·​tal ˈpa-lə-tᵊl 

1

a

: formed with some part of the tongue near or touching the hard palate of the roof of the mouth posterior to the ridge of bone behind the upper teeth

the \sh\ and \y\ in English and the \ḵ\ of ich \iḵ\ in German are examples of palatal consonants

b

of a vowel : front sense 2

2

: of, relating to, forming, or affecting the palate

palatal noun

palatally

ˈpa-lə-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Examples of palatal in a Sentence

The first sound in the English word “jar” is a palatal sound.

Recent Examples on the Web

Researchers found that the probability of an individual having infectious mononucleosis rose with palatal petechiae presence.5 The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which can cause mono, is not the only germ that can lead to palatal petechiae. —Reven Widener, Health, 31 May 2023

As Romance Languages started to evolve out of Latin, the ñ was born from the need to represent the palatal nasal, a sound that was nonexistent in Latin. —Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2022

In Dutch, it is pronounced Hakhar, using a palatal consonant that exists in Hebrew (though not in the name Hagar) and in Dutch. —Cnaan Liphshiz, sun-sentinel.com, 22 Sep. 2021

Kung-Ekoka, a musical language of nasal tones and palatal clicks. —Juman Malouf, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2016

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

palatal

adjective

pal·​a·​tal ˈpal-ət-ᵊl 

: of, relating to, forming, or affecting the palate

palatal itching

palatally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb