retroflex

Plural: retroflexes

Verb

bend or turn backward
articulate (a consonant) with the tongue curled back against the palate
- "Indian accents can be characterized by the fact that speakers retroflex their consonants"
To bend or curve backwards.

Adjective Satellite

bent or curved backward
pronounced with the tip of the tongue turned back toward the hard palate

Adj

Bent or curved backwards.
Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue is raised and bent backwards, so that the underside of the tongue approaches or touches the palate.
Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.
Of pronunciation in which the blade of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.
Of any of the aforementioned pronunciations.

Noun

A consonant pronounced with the underside of the tongue approaching or touching the palate.
A consonant pronounced with the tip of the tongue approaching or touching the back of the alveolar ridge.
A consonant pronounced with the blade of the tongue approaching or touching the back of the alveolar ridge.
Any of the aforementioned consonants.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin rētrōflexus, the perfect participle of rētrōflectō (“bend, turn”), from flectō (“bend, turn”).

Synonyms

apical postalveolar, cacuminal, flat postalveolar, laminal postalveolar, reflexed, replicate, retroflexed, subapical palatal

Scrabble Score: 19

retroflex is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
retroflex is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
retroflex is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 20

retroflex is a valid Words With Friends word