velar

[vee-ler]

adjective

1. of or relating to a velum, especially the soft palate.

2. Phonetics.,  articulated with the back of the tongue held close to or touching the soft palate.

noun

1. Phonetics.,  a velar sound.

velar

/ ˈviːlə /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or attached to a velum

   velar tentacles

2. phonetics articulated with the soft palate and the back of the tongue, as in the sounds ( k ), ( ɡ ), or ( ŋ )

Other Word Forms

• postvelar adjective
• pseudovelar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of velar¹

From the Latin word vēlāris, dating back to 1720–30. See velum, -ar ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of velar¹

C18: from Latin vēlāris, from vēlum _veil

Example Sentences

These velar vocal folds are three times longer than the pair in the voice box and weigh 683 times more.

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Farther up, within the velar area, the rudiments of the cerebral nerve-ganglion ng are seen separating from the ectoderm.

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Large and heavy velar vocal folds let male koalas bellow at low frequencies.

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The foot now protrudes below the mouth, and the post-oral hemisphere of the trochosphere grows more rapidly then the anterior or velar area.

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