dentalization
|den-tal-i-za-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌdɛn.təl.əˈzeɪ.ʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌdɛn.təl.ɪˈzeɪ.ʃ(ə)n/
making a sound dental
Etymology
'dentalization' originates from the adjective 'dental' (from Latin 'dens, dentis'), where 'dens/dentis' meant 'tooth', combined with the suffix '-ization' (via French/Latin from Greek '-izein') indicating 'process or action'.
'dentalization' developed from Latin 'dens' -> Medieval Latin 'dentalis' -> English adjective 'dental' -> verb-forming suffix '-ize' (dentalize) -> noun-forming suffix '-ization', yielding 'dentalization' in modern English.
Initially related to 'pertaining to the teeth' (from 'dental'), it evolved into a technical term meaning 'the process or result of making or pronouncing a sound as dental'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the phonetic process or result of producing a consonant with the tongue against the teeth (i.e., making a sound dental).
The dentalization of /t/ before /θ/ is observed in some dialects.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/23 00:47