RETROFLEX

cacuminal, retroflex

(adjective) pronounced with the tip of the tongue turned back toward the hard palate

retroflex, retroflexed

(adjective) bent or curved backward

retroflex

(verb) articulate (a consonant) with the tongue curled back against the palate; “Indian accents can be characterized by the fact that speakers retroflex their consonants”

retroflex, replicate

(verb) bend or turn backward

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

retroflex (comparative more retroflex, superlative most retroflex)

Bent or curved backwards.

(phonetics) Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue is raised and bent backwards, so that the underside of the tongue approaches or touches the palate.

(phonetics) Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.

(phonetics) Of pronunciation in which the blade of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.

(phonetics, general sense) Of any of the aforementioned pronunciations.

Synonyms

• (bent backwards): reflexed

• (of pronunciation with the tongue underside): subapical palatal

• (of pronunciation with the tongue tip): apical postalveolar

• (of pronunciation with the tongue blade): laminal postalveolar, flat postalveolar

Noun

retroflex (plural retroflexes)

(phonetics) A consonant pronounced with the underside of the tongue approaching or touching the palate.

(phonetics) A consonant pronounced with the tip of the tongue approaching or touching the back of the alveolar ridge.

(phonetics) A consonant pronounced with the blade of the tongue approaching or touching the back of the alveolar ridge.

(phonetics, general sense) Any of the aforementioned consonants.

Source: Wiktionary

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Re"tro*flex, Re"tro*flexed, a. Etym: [Pref. retro- + L. flectere, flexum, to bend, to turn.]

Definition: Reflexed; bent or turned abruptly backward.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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