retroflex

From Latin rētrōflexus, the perfect participle of rētrōflectō (“bend, turn”), from flectō (“bend, turn”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɛt.ɹəʊ.flɛks/, /ˈɹɛt.ɹə.flɛks/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɛt.ɹoʊ.flɛks/, /ˈɹɛt.ɹə.flɛks/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

retroflex (comparative more retroflex, superlative most retroflex)

1. Bent or curved backwards.
2. (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.
3. (phonetics) Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.
4. (phonetics) Of pronunciation in which the blade of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.
5. (phonetics, general sense) Of any of the aforementioned pronunciations.

• (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

• retroflexed
• retroflexion

retroflex (plural retroflexes)

1. (phonetics) A consonant pronounced with the underside of the tongue approaching or touching the palate.
2. (phonetics) A consonant pronounced with the tip of the tongue approaching or touching the back of the alveolar ridge.
3. (phonetics) A consonant pronounced with the blade of the tongue approaching or touching the back of the alveolar ridge.
4. (phonetics, general sense) Any of the aforementioned consonants.

• Retroflex consonant on Wikipedia.Wikipedia