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Showing results for lingual. Search instead for linguatula.
Synonyms

lingual

American  
[ling-gwuhl] / ˈlɪŋ gwəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the tongue or some tonguelike part.

  2. pertaining to languages.

  3. Phonetics. articulated with the aid of the tongue, especially the tip of the tongue, as d, n, s, or r.

noun

  1. Phonetics. a lingual sound.

lingual British  
/ ˈlɪŋɡwəl /

adjective

  1. anatomy of or relating to the tongue or a part or structure resembling a tongue

    1. rare of or relating to language or languages

    2. ( in combination )

      polylingual

  3. articulated with the tongue

"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

noun

  1. a lingual consonant, such as Scots ( r )

"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

Other Word Forms

  • lingually adverb
  • prelingual adjective
  • prelingually adverb

Etymology

Origin of lingual

1350–1400; Middle English: tongue-shaped surgical instrument < Medieval Latin linguālis. See lingua, -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fiona and Ben were told by a midwife that they would be better off getting tongue-tie surgery, also known as a lingual frenotomy, privately, as there would be a long wait on the NHS.

From BBC • Aug. 31, 2024

He also suggested Patient A underwent a lingual tongue-tie release, which he said would allow her to rest with her tongue on the roof of her mouth and strengthen the jaw.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2022

It seemed likely that the author was aware of the potential of those words to challenge “She sells sea shells by the sea shore” in the lingual dexterity sweepstakes.

From Washington Post • Aug. 9, 2022

The lingual lipase begins the breakdown of fat components in the food.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Because the oyster does not go shouting around, or annoy us with his twaddle, does not mean that he is deprived of life's lingual interchanges.

From The Car That Went Abroad Motoring Through the Golden Age by Paine, Albert Bigelow

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.