Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

alveolar

/ælˈvi.ə.lɚ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.80 in modern English

Syllables: alve-o-lar
IPA: /ælˈvi.ə.lɚ/

11

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

4

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Relating to the alveoli (small air sacs) of the lungs.

adj

Relating to the jaw ridge containing the tooth sockets.

adj

Formed with the tongue touching or approaching the inner ridge of the gums of the upper front teeth.

adj

Relating to the glands with secretory cells about a central space.

noun

An alveolar consonant.

Example Sentences

"In the case of the Wubuy alveolar versus retroflex contrast for instance, we argue that the phonetic overlap is so great that native listeners can behave as if this were an instance of a good and a 'less good' instance of a single category (CG)."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewlósder. Proto-Italic *aulos? Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der. Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Proto-Italic *alwos? Latin alvus Proto-Indo-European *-éyos Proto-Italic *-ejos Proto-Italic *-eos Latin -eus Latin alveus Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ulus Latin -olus Latin alveolusbor. English alveolus Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin -ārisbor. English -ar English alveolar From alveolus + -ar.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ælˈvi.ə.lɚ/
British English: /alˈviː.ə.lə/

Inflected Forms

alveolars (plural)

Derived Forms

alveolarisation alveolarity alveolarization alveolarize alveolarly apicoalveolar basialveolar bialveolar bronchioalveolar bronchioloalveolar bronchoalveolar dentialveolar

Phrases

alveolar artery alveolar bed alveolar bone alveolar dead space alveolar nerve alveolar process alveolar ridge alveolar socket

Frequently Paired Words

alveolary

Synonyms

gingival alveolar consonant

Rhymes With

nucleolar bronchoalveolar areolar malleolar postalveolar tubuloalveolar lobuloalveolar tracheolar apicoalveolar foveolar roseolar rubeolar

Questions

How do you pronounce alveolar?: The recorded pronunciation is /ælˈvi.ə.lɚ/.
What does alveolar mean?: Relating to the alveoli (small air sacs) of the lungs.
Where does alveolar come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewlósder. Proto-Italic *aulos? Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der. Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Proto-Italic *alwos? Latin alvus Proto-Indo-European *-éyos Proto-Italic *-ejos Proto-Italic *-eos Latin -eus Latin alveus Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ulus Latin -olus Latin alveolusbor. English alveolus Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin -ārisbor. English -ar English alveolar From alveolus + -ar.

How to pronounce alveolar

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “alveolar”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ælˈvi.ə.lɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “alveolar”.
Repeat and practice — Say “alveolar” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.