Definition of Cacuminal

1. Adjective. Pronounced with the tip of the tongue turned back toward the hard palate.

Exact synonyms: Retroflex
Category relationships: Linguistics
Similar to: Backward

Definition of Cacuminal

1. a. Pertaining to the top of the palate; cerebral; -- applied to certain consonants; as, cacuminal (or cerebral) letters.

Definition of Cacuminal

1. Adjective. Pertaining to a point, top, or crown. ¹

2. Adjective. (linguistics phonology) Pronounced using a retroflexed tongue. ¹

3. Noun. (linguistics phonology) A sound pronounced using a retroflexed tongue. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Cacuminal

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Cacuminal

1. Relating to a top or apex, particularly of a plant or anatomical structure. (05 Mar 2000)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Cacuminal

cactus cat
cactus cats
cactus euphorbia
cactus family
cactus mouse
cactus wren
cactuses
cactuslike
cactusy
cacumate
cacumated
cacumates
cacumating
cacumen
cacumina
cacuminal (current term)
cacuminals
cacuminate
cacuminous
cadambine
cadamine
cadance
cadances
cadaster
cadasters
cadastral
cadastrally
cadastre
cadastres
cadaver

Literary usage of Cacuminal

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Introduction to the Science of Language by Archibald Henry Sayce (1880)
"But there are several kinds of r, which may be classed as cacuminal, spirant, ... The cacuminal r is the purest liquid r that we hear, inasmuch as it is ..."

2. Oriental and Linguistic Studies by William Dwight Whitney (1874)
"I should infer from Mr. Ellis's latest descriptions (less certainly from Mr. Bell's figure) that a reverted or cacuminal character belongs to the English ..."

3. Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature by Dept. of Modern Languages, Harvard University (1900)
"describe the modern Spanish s as cacuminal. So does AR Gonçalves Vianna, who brings forward evidence that the Old Spanish s was, by reason of its ..."

4. Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature (1900)
"describe the modern Spanish i as cacuminal. ... by reason of its cacuminal nature, so like the palatal s that a Moors could not distinguish between the two ..."

5. A Short Comparative Grammar of English and German: As Traced Back to Their by Victor Henry (1894)
"2 The tongue may also be slightly rounded, in such a way as to touch the dome of the palate : then the consonant becomes cacuminal. Thus, t and d are rather ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Cacuminal on Dictionary.com!Search for Cacuminal on Thesaurus.com!Search for Cacuminal on Google!Search for Cacuminal on Wikipedia!

Search