Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun palatal

1 sense of palatal

Sense 1
palatal -- (a semivowel produced with the tongue near the palate (like the initial sound in the English word `yeast'))
       => semivowel, glide -- (a vowellike sound that serves as a consonant)

Antonyms of adj palatal

1 of 2 senses of palatal

Sense 2
palatal, palatalized, palatalised -- (produced with the front of the tongue near or touching the hard palate (as `y') or with the blade of the tongue near the hard palate (as `ch' in `chin' or `j' in `gin'))

INDIRECT (VIA soft) -> hard -- ((of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward or touching the velum; "Russian distinguished between hard consonants and palatalized or soft consonants")

Similarity of adj palatal

2 senses of palatal

Sense 1
palatal, palatine -- (relating to or lying near the palate; "palatal index"; "the palatine tonsils")

Sense 2
palatal, palatalized, palatalised -- (produced with the front of the tongue near or touching the hard palate (as `y') or with the blade of the tongue near the hard palate (as `ch' in `chin' or `j' in `gin'))
       => soft (vs. hard) -- ((of speech sounds); produced with the back of the tongue raised toward the hard palate; characterized by a hissing or hushing sound (as `s' and `sh'))