coarticulation

American  

[koh-ahr-tik-yuh-ley-shuhn] / ˌkoʊ ɑrˌtɪk yəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

Phonetics.

1. concomitance of articulation, as in fro, ostensibly a succession of three discrete sounds but physically a single articulation (f-) blending into a coarticulation (-fr-), which blends into an articulation (-r-), which blends into a coarticulation (-ro-), which blends into an articulation (-o).

2. Also called secondary articulation.  the movement during the articulation of a given sound of one or more articulators not directly involved in producing the sound.

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Etymology

Origin of coarticulation

First recorded in 1605–15; co- + articulation