palatalize

palatal +‎ -ize

palatalize (third-person singular simple present palatalizes, present participle palatalizing, simple past and past participle palatalized)

1. (phonetics, transitive) To pronounce a sound with the tongue against the palate of the mouth when that sound normally would not be so pronounced.

   Most English speakers palatalize the letter t in the word "nature".

2. (phonetics, intransitive, unaccusative, of a sound) To be pronounced in such a way.

• palatalization