articulation

[ ahr-tik-yuh-ley-shuhn ]

/ ɑrˌtɪk yəˈleɪ ʃən /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for articulation on Thesaurus.com

noun

an act or the process of articulating: the articulation of a form; the articulation of a new thought.

Phonetics.

the act or process of articulating speech.
the adjustments and movements of speech organs involved in pronouncing a particular sound, taken as a whole.
any one of these adjustments and movements.
any speech sound, especially a consonant.

the act of jointing.

a jointed state or formation; a joint.

Botany.

a joint or place between two parts where separation may take place spontaneously, as at the point of attachment of a leaf.
a node in a stem, or the space between two nodes.

Anatomy, Zoology. a joint, as the joining or juncture of bones or of the movable segments of an arthropod.

Dentistry.

the positioning of teeth in a denture, usually on an articulator, for correct occlusion.
the bringing of opposing tooth surfaces into contact with each other.
the relations of the upper and lower natural or artificial teeth in occlusion.

a measure of the effectiveness of a telephonic transmission system in reproducing speech comprehensibly, expressed as the percentage of speech units uttered that is correctly understood.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of articulation

1400–50; late Middle English articulacio(u)n<Middle French <Latin articulātiōn-, stem of articulātiō.See articulate, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM articulation

ar·tic·u·la·to·ry

[ahr-tik-yuh-luh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /ɑrˈtɪk yə ləˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjectivear·tic·u·la·to·ri·ly, adverbmis·ar·tic·u·la·tion, nounre·ar·tic·u·la·tion, noun

sub·ar·tic·u·la·tion, nounun·ar·tic·u·la·to·ry, adjective

Words nearby articulation

articulated, articulated joint, articulated lorry, articulated vehicle, articulatio, articulation, articulator, articulatory feature, articulatory loop, articulatory phonetics, Artie

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use articulation in a sentence

This swing-arm desk lamp has three points of articulation which lets you adjust the height and angle to create the ideal lighting, no matter the task.
Best desk lamps to stay productive in 2021|Jen McCaffery|August 24, 2021|Popular-Science
The Bronco has 10 inches of articulation between the two sides of the front suspension, which is more than Wrangler.
The 2021 Ford Bronco lives up to its massive hype|Rob Verger|June 28, 2021|Popular-Science
If you go farther off-road than simple dirt roads, a mid-size truck like the Ford Ranger or the upcoming Bronco will still offer more articulation, better angles, and more traction.
Ford Is Making a Genuinely Compact Pickup Truck|Wes Siler|June 8, 2021|Outside Online
Consider the most infamous articulation of Christian nationalism’s anti-democratic goals from Paul Weyrich, co-founder of the Moral Majority.
The Growing Anti-Democratic Threat of Christian Nationalism in the U.S.|Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry|May 27, 2021|Time

That confidence comes not just from the added articulation, ride quality, and grip but also from the new track width, which has increased by three inches.
Inside My Custom Toyota Land Cruiser Build|Wes Siler|October 15, 2020|Outside Online
Smith speaks with perfect articulation and a vacuous undertone laces her words.
Shakespeare’s Movie Magic|Marina Watts, Malcolm Jones|April 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
ALEC: The writing is so smart and well crafted that articulation is critical.
Alec Baldwin & Robert Carlock On How They Made '30 Rock' So Funny|Alec Baldwin, Robert Carlock|February 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
To me, this was both a perfect articulation of the problem and the suggestion of a solution.
Gael García Bernal on the Human Drama Behind Anonymous Migrant Dead|Gael Garcia Bernal|January 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It's not like Kanye brought the articulation either when he apologized on his website.
Leave Kanye Alone|Choire Sicha|September 14, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The quality of artistic beauty in articulation is very important, beyond the mere accuracy which is ordinarily thought of.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
To make the effort of articulation a vital impulse in response to a mental concept,—this is the object sought.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
Let your articulation be easy, clear, correct in accent, and suited in tone and emphasis to your discourse.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
Mrs. Carroll made a violent effort at articulation, then shook her head, despairingly.
A Dreadful Temptation|Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller
A crunching of feet upon the gravel mixed in with the articulation of the sea—steps light as if they were winged.
The Well-Beloved|Thomas Hardy

British Dictionary definitions for articulation

articulation

/ (ɑːˌtɪkjʊˈleɪʃən) /

noun

the act or process of speaking or expressing in words

the process of articulating a speech sound
the sound so produced, esp a consonant

the act or the state of being jointed together

the form or manner in which something is jointed

zoology

a joint such as that between bones or arthropod segments
the way in which jointed parts are connected

botany the part of a plant at which natural separation occurs, such as the joint between leaf and stem

a joint or jointing

Derived forms of articulation

articulatory, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for articulation

articulation

[ är-tĭk′yə-lā′shən ]

The place of anatomical union, usually movable, between two or more bones.

A joining or connecting together loosely so as to allow motion between the parts.

Distinct connected speech or enunciation.

The contact relationship of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth during jaw movement.

Placement of artificial teeth on a denture base so that the teeth approximate normal position and contact.

Scientific definitions for articulation

articulation

[ är-tĭk′yə-lā′shən ]

The arrangement of parts connected by joints.

A fixed or movable joint between bones.

A movable joint between inflexible parts of the body of an animal, as the divisions of an appendage in arthropods.

A joint between two separable parts, as a leaf and a stem.

articulation

Origin of articulation

OTHER WORDS FROM articulation

Words nearby articulation

Words related to articulation

How to use articulation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for articulation

Derived forms of articulation

Medical definitions for articulation

Scientific definitions for articulation