apicaladj.
/ˈapɪkəl//ˈeɪpɪkəl/ 1. Of or belonging to an apex; situated at the summit or tip.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > high position > [adjective] > of or relating to the top
capital1486
apical1828
1828 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. III. xxxv. 613 The proportion that the apical area bears to the rest of the wing.
1882 H. Ward in Jrnl. Microsc. Sc. Jan. 4 This germinal tube rapidly grows forwards, extending by apical growth.
2. Phonetics. Pertaining to articulation with, or sounds made by, the tip of the tongue. Hence as n., an apical sound.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > speech sound by place or organ > [adjective] > lingual > by parts of tongue
apicial1836
apical1899
dorsal1933
laminal1956
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > speech sound by place or organ > [noun] > lingual > by parts of tongue
blade-consonant1877
point-consonant1888
blade-point1890
fan consonant1902
apical1964
dorsal1964
1899 W. Rippmann tr. W. Vietor Elem. Phonetics 71 The part of the tongue which helps to form the narrowing is the front rim. The front rim of the tongue: apical formation.
1902 E. W. Scripture Elements Exper. Phonetics xxi. 296 An articulation of the extreme point [of the tongue] is often termed ‘apical’.
1935 G. K. Zipf Psycho-biol. Lang. (1936) iii. 78 The apical trill or ‘rolled r’ of Italian.
1964 E. Palmer tr. A. Martinet Elements Gen. Linguistics ii. 49 It [a consonant] is apical if it is pronounced with the tip of the tongue (apex) like the [t] of touche.
1964 E. Palmer tr. A. Martinet Elements Gen. Linguistics iii. 64 ‘Apicals’ are always stops in French.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
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adj.1828