definitions
  • synonyms

uvular

[ yoo-vyuh-ler ]
/ ˈyu vyə lər /
|

adjective

of or relating to the uvula.
Phonetics. articulated with the back of the tongue held close to or touching the uvula, as in the r-sound of Parisian French.

noun

Phonetics. a uvular sound.

RELATED CONTENT

What Makes Accents Appealing?What makes certain accents sexy and others harsh? “The RINE in SPINE fawls MINELY on tha PLINE!” In the song “The Rain in Spain” from the musical My Fair Lady, phonetics professor Henry Higgins (‘enry ‘iggins) pleads with Eliza Doolittle to say “Ay not I, O not Ow.” By the end of the song Eliza’s “AY-ing” and “O-ing” and pronouncing all her H’s. The guttersnipe is …
READ MORE

Nearby words

uvula, uvula cerebelli, uvula palatina, uvula vermis, uvula vesicae, uvular, uvulectomy, uvulitis, uvulo-, uvuloptosis, uvulotomy

Origin of uvular

From the New Latin word ūvulāris, dating back to 1700–10. See uvula, -ar1
Related formsu·vu·lar·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for uvular

  • Dickens noticed the uvular tone of voice in young thieves, due to deformity of the uvula.

    Degeneracy|Eugene S. Talbot

British Dictionary definitions for uvular

uvular

/ (ˈjuːvjʊlə) /

adjective

of or relating to the uvula
phonetics articulated with the uvula and the back of the tongue, such as the (r) sound of Parisian French

noun

a uvular consonant
Derived Formsuvularly, adverb
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

Medicine definitions for uvular

uvular

[ yōō′vyə-lər ]

adj.

Of, relating to, or associated with the uvula.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.