retroflexed
|re-tro-flexed|
🇺🇸
/ˌrɛtroʊˈflɛks/
🇬🇧
/ˌretrəʊˈflɛks/
(retroflex)
tongue curled back
Etymology
'retroflex' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'retroflexus', where 'retro-' meant 'back' and 'flexus' (from 'flectere') meant 'bent'.
'retroflex' came into English (and technical linguistic use) from Latin 'retroflexus' via Neo-Latin/late scientific Latin; it entered descriptive phonetics vocabulary in the 19th century and developed into the modern technical term 'retroflex'.
Initially it meant 'bent back' in a general physical sense; over time it became specialized to mean 'bent back' in reference to the tongue or articulation, i.e. 'produced with the tongue curled back'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense and past participle form of 'retroflex'; to bend or curl (the tongue) backward when articulating a sound, especially a consonant.
The speaker retroflexed the consonant in that word to match the regional accent.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
produced with the tongue curled or bent back (describing a consonant or articulation).
Several Dravidian languages have retroflexed consonants that contrast with dental sounds.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/03 01:19