How Do You Spell DENTILABIAL?

Pronunciation: [dˌɛntɪlˈe͡ɪbɪəl] (IPA)

The word "dentilabial" is spelled with a combination of letters that can be slightly confusing at first glance. However, using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) can help to clarify its spelling. The IPA transcription for this word is /dɛntɪleɪbiəl/, which shows the various sounds and syllables that make up the word. The initial "d" represents a dental consonant, followed by the "e" sound, and then a combination of labial consonants (l and b), which are pronounced together as "bl". Overall, the IPA transcription breaks down the spelling of "dentilabial" into its individual sounds.

DENTILABIAL Meaning and Definition

1. Dentilabial is an adjective that describes a specific articulatory position in speech production. It refers to a sound or consonant that is produced as the lower lip comes into contact with the upper teeth. The term combines two anatomical terms, "denti-" which refers to teeth, and "labial" which refers to the lips. Dentilabial consonants are commonly produced by bringing the lower lip up to touch, or almost touch, the upper front teeth.

   The most common example of a dentilabial sound in many languages is the /f/ sound. When pronouncing /f/, the lower lip is pressed against the upper incisors, allowing the air to pass through a small gap, producing a fricative sound. Other examples include the /v/ sound, when the sentences “vase” or “very” are spoken, where the lower lip also makes contact with the upper teeth.

   Dentilabials are classified as labiodental consonants and are part of the broader classification of place of articulation. Place of articulation refers to the specific location in the vocal tract where a particular speech sound is formed. Understanding the concepts of dental and labial articulation is crucial in phonetics and linguistics, as it assists in describing and analyzing the production and perception of speech sounds in different languages.

2. Relating to the teeth and lips.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for DENTILABIAL

• sentilabial
• xentilabial
• centilabial
• fentilabial
• rentilabial
• eentilabial
• dwntilabial
• dsntilabial
• ddntilabial
• drntilabial
• d4ntilabial
• d3ntilabial
• debtilabial
• demtilabial
• dejtilabial
• dehtilabial
• denrilabial
• denfilabial
• dengilabial

Etymology of DENTILABIAL

The word "dentilabial" is derived from Latin and Greek roots.

The Latin word "dens" means "tooth", while the Latin word "labium" means "lip". Therefore, the Latin term "dentilabial" combines "dens" and "labium" to literally mean "tooth-lip".

In the field of phonetics, "dentilabial" is used to describe a type of consonant articulation where the lower lip makes contact with the upper teeth, such as in the pronunciation of the English sounds like "v" and "f". The term was likely coined within the field of phonetics to describe this specific articulatory feature.