front-lateral
|front-lat-er-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌfrʌntˈlætərəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌfrʌntˈlæt(ə)rəl/
front + side (lateral) — front-side articulation/position
Etymology
'front-lateral' is a modern English compound formed from 'front' + 'lateral'. 'front' comes via Old French 'front' from Latin 'frons' meaning 'forehead, front', and 'lateral' comes from Latin 'lateralis' from 'latus' meaning 'side'.
'front' entered English through Old French 'front' (from Latin 'frons'), while 'lateral' entered from Latin 'lateralis' (from 'latus'). The two elements were combined in modern English to form the compound adjective 'front-lateral' for descriptive/technical use.
The original roots meant 'forehead/front' and 'side' respectively; over time the compound came to mean 'situated at the front and side' and in phonetics acquired the specialized sense 'articulated with lateral airflow at a front place of articulation'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
in phonetics/phonology: describing a sound (usually a consonant or sometimes a vowel) that is articulated with lateral airflow and whose place of articulation is toward the front of the mouth.
The language has a rare front-lateral consonant produced with lateral airflow at the alveolar ridge.
Adjective 2
more generally, describing something that is both at the front and at the side (front + lateral) in position or orientation.
The surgeon noted a front-lateral incision site on the patient.
Last updated: 2025/10/05 21:52