alveolar

See also: Alveolar

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewlósder.

Proto-Italic *aulos?

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.

Proto-Indo-European *-wósder.

Proto-Italic *alwos?

Latin alvus

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos

Proto-Italic *-ejos

Proto-Italic *-eos

Latin -eus

Latin alveus

Proto-Indo-European *-lós

Proto-Indo-European *-e-lós

Proto-Italic *-elos

Latin -ulus

Latin -olus

Latin alveolusbor.

English alveolus

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin -ārisbor.

English -ar

English alveolar

From alveolus + -ar.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /alˈviː.ə.lə/, /ˌal.viˈəʊ.lə/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ælˈvi.ə.lɚ/, /ælˈvi.lɚ/, /ˌæl.viˈoʊ.lɚ/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -iːələ(ɹ), -əʊlə(ɹ)

Adjective

alveolar (not comparable)

1. (anatomy, relational) Relating to the alveoli (small air sacs) of the lungs.
   • 2015 May 21, Vincenzo Basile et al., “Lung ultrasound: a useful tool in diagnosis and management of bronchiolitis”, in BMC Pediatrics‎^[1], volume 15, →DOI, archived from the original on 7 March 2025:

     The areas of lung dysventilation with an absence of alveolar air are visualized in the form of consolidations adjacent to the pleural line.

2. (anatomy, relational) Relating to the jaw ridge containing the tooth sockets.
3. (phonetics) Formed with the tongue touching or approaching the inner ridge of the gums of the upper front teeth.
   • 2015 December 4, “Discrimination of Multiple Coronal Stop Contrasts in Wubuy (Australia): A Natural Referent Consonant Account”, in PLOS ONE‎^[2], →DOI, archived from the original on 21 January 2022:

     In the case of the Wubuy alveolar versus retroflex contrast for instance, we argue that the phonetic overlap is so great that native listeners can behave as if this were an instance of a good and a 'less good' instance of a single category (CG).

4. (anatomy, relational) Relating to the glands with secretory cells about a central space.

Derived terms

• alveolar artery
• alveolar bed
• alveolar bone
• alveolar dead space
• alveolarisation
• alveolarity
• alveolarization
• alveolarize
• alveolarly
• alveolar nerve
• alveolar process
• alveolar ridge
• alveolar socket
• apicoalveolar
• apico-alveolar
• basialveolar
• bialveolar
• bronchioalveolar
• bronchioloalveolar
• bronchoalveolar
• dentialveolar
• dentoalveolar
• inferior alveolar artery
• inferior alveolar nerve
• interalveolar
• intraalveolar
• labioalveolar
• lobuloalveolar
• microalveolar
• monoalveolar
• nasoalveolar
• nonalveolar
• palatoalveolar, palato-alveolar
• parietoalveolar
• perialveolar
• postalveolar, post-alveolar
• posterior superior alveolar artery
• retroalveolar
• subalveolar
• transalveolar
• tubuloalveolar
• zygomaticoalveolar

Related terms

• alveolary

Translations

relating to the lung alveoli

• Catalan: alveolar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 肺泡的 (zh) (fèipào de)

• Dutch: alveolair (nl)
• Finnish: alveolaarinen (fi)
• French: alvéolaire (fr)
• Irish: ailbheolach
• Italian: alveolare (it) m
• Marathi: वायुकोशासंबंधी (vāyukośāsambandhī)
• Portuguese: alveolar
• Romanian: alveolar (ro)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: а̏лвеола̄ран

  Latin: ȁlveolāran (sh)

• Spanish: alveolar (es)
• Welsh: alfeolaidd

relating to the jaw ridge

• Arabic: سِنْخِيّ (sinḵiyy)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 齒槽的 / 齿槽的 (zh) (chǐcáo de)

• Finnish: alveolaarinen (fi)
• French: alvéolaire (fr)
• Greek: φατνιακός (el) (fatniakós)
• Irish: ailbheolach
• Italian: alveolare (it) m
• Kashmiri: دۆرتٲلؠ (dortạ̄l')
• Portuguese: alveolar
• Romanian: alveolar (ro)
• Scottish Gaelic: ailbhealach
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: а̏лвеола̄ран

  Latin: ȁlveolāran (sh)

• Spanish: alveolar (es)
• Welsh: gorfannol

formed with the tongue touching or approaching the ridge behind the upper teeth

• Arabic: لِثَوِيّ (liṯawiyy)
• Burmese: မုဒ္ဓဇ (my) (muddha.ja.)
• Catalan: alveolar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 齒齦的 / 齿龈的 (zh) (chǐyín de)

• Czech: dásňový (cs), alveolární
• Danish: alveolær
• Dutch: alveolaar (nl)
• Finnish: alveolaarinen (fi)
• French: alvéolaire (fr)
• German: alveolar (de)
• Greek: φατνιακός (el) (fatniakós)
• Hungarian: alveoláris (hu)
• Icelandic: tannbergsmæltur
• Irish: ailbheolach
• Italian: alveolare (it) m
• Kashmiri: دۆرتٲلؠ (dortạ̄l')
• Japanese: 歯茎- (ja) (はぐき, haguki-, しけい, shikei-)
• Malayalam: വർത്സ്യം (ml) (vaṟtsyaṁ)
• Marathi: दंतमूलीय (dantmūlīy), वर्त्स्य (vartsya)
• Mongolian:

  Cyrillic: түүшийн (tüüšiin), бүйлний (büilnii) (China)

  Mongolian script: ᠲᠦᢉᠦᠰᠢ
  ᠶ᠋ᠢᠨ, ᠪᠦᠢᠯᠡ
  ᠶ᠋ᠢᠨ (büyile yin)

• Navajo: tʼáá bízhání
• Polish: alweolarny, dziąsłowy (pl)
• Portuguese: alveolar
• Romanian: alveolar (ro)
• Russian: альвеоля́рный (ru) (alʹveoljárnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: ailbhealach
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: а̏лвеола̄ран

  Latin: ȁlveolāran (sh)

• Spanish: alveolar (es)
• Swedish: alveolar (sv)
• Welsh: gorfannol

relating to alveolar glands

• Catalan: alveolar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 泡狀的 / 泡状的 (pàozhuàngde)

• Finnish: alveolaarinen (fi)
• French: alvéolaire (fr)
• Italian: alveolare (it) m
• Marathi: गुहिका ग्रंथीय (guhikā granthīy)
• Romanian: alveolar (ro)
• Russian: альвеоля́рный (ru) (alʹveoljárnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: а̏лвеола̄ран

  Latin: ȁlveolāran (sh)

• Spanish: alveolar (es)
• Welsh: gorfannol

Noun

alveolar (plural alveolars)

1. (phonetics) An alveolar consonant.

   Synonym: (obsolete) gingival

Translations

alveolar consonant

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 齒齦音 / 齿龈音 (zh) (chǐyínyīn), 齦音 / 龈音 (zh) (yínyīn)

• Czech: alveolára (cs) f, dásňovka f
• Danish: alveolar (da) c
• Dutch: alveolaar (nl) c
• Finnish: alveolaari (fi)
• French: alvéolaire (fr) f
• German: Zahndammlaut (de) m, Alveolar (de) m
• Hungarian: fogmederhang
• Irish: ailbheolach m
• Japanese: 歯茎音 (はぐきおん, hagukion)
• Korean: 치경음(齒莖音) (chigyeong'eum)
• Marathi: दंतमूलीय (dantmūlīy), वर्त्स्य (vartsya)
• Portuguese: alveolar f
• Romanian: alveolară f, consoană alveolară (ro) f
• Russian: альвеоля́рный согла́сный m (alʹveoljárnyj soglásnyj), альвеоля́р m (alʹveoljár)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: алвео̀ла̄р m, дѐснӣк m

  Latin: alveòlār (sh) m, dèsnīk (sh) m

• Swedish: alveolar (sv) c
• Welsh: cytsain gorfannol f

References

• “alveolar”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “alveolar”, in Merriam-Webster Online, Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1996–present.

Danish

Noun

alveolar c (singular definite alveolaren, plural indefinite alveolarer)

1. (phonetics) alveolar

Declension

Declension of alveolar

common gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	alveolar	alveolaren	alveolarer	alveolarerne
genitive	alveolars	alveolarens	alveolarers	alveolarernes

German

Etymology

Adjective form of Alveole (“alveolus”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [alveoˈlaːɐ̯]

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːɐ̯
• Hyphenation: al‧ve‧o‧lar

Adjective

alveolar (strong nominative masculine singular alveolarer, not comparable)

1. (phonetics) alveolar

Declension

Positive forms of alveolar (uncomparable)

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist alveolar	sie ist alveolar	es ist alveolar	sie sind alveolar
strong declension (without article)	nominative	alveolarer	alveolare	alveolares	alveolare
	genitive	alveolaren	alveolarer	alveolaren	alveolarer
	dative	alveolarem	alveolarer	alveolarem	alveolaren
	accusative	alveolaren	alveolare	alveolares	alveolare
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der alveolare	die alveolare	das alveolare	die alveolaren
	genitive	des alveolaren	der alveolaren	des alveolaren	der alveolaren
	dative	dem alveolaren	der alveolaren	dem alveolaren	den alveolaren
	accusative	den alveolaren	die alveolare	das alveolare	die alveolaren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein alveolarer	eine alveolare	ein alveolares	(keine) alveolaren
	genitive	eines alveolaren	einer alveolaren	eines alveolaren	(keiner) alveolaren
	dative	einem alveolaren	einer alveolaren	einem alveolaren	(keinen) alveolaren
	accusative	einen alveolaren	eine alveolare	ein alveolares	(keine) alveolaren

Derived terms

• Alveolar

Further reading

• “alveolar” in Duden online
• “alveolar”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[3] (in German)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

alveolar m

1. indefinite plural of alveol

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /aw.ve.oˈlaʁ/ [aʊ̯.ve.oˈlah]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /aw.ve.oˈlaʁ/ [aʊ̯.ve.oˈlah]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /aw.ve.oˈlaɾ/ [aʊ̯.ve.oˈlaɾ]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /aw.ve.oˈlaʁ/ [aʊ̯.ve.oˈlaχ]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /aw.ve.oˈlaɻ/ [aʊ̯.ve.oˈlaɻ]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /al.vɛ.uˈlaɾ/ [aɫ.vɛ.uˈlaɾ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /al.vɛ.uˈlaɾ/ [aɫ.vɛ.uˈlaɾ]
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /al.bɛ.uˈlaɾ/ [aɫ.βɛ.uˈlaɾ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /al.vɛ.uˈla.ɾi/ [aɫ.vɛ.uˈla.ɾi]

Adjective

alveolar m or f (plural alveolares)

1. (anatomy) alveolar (relating to the alveoli of the lungs)
2. (anatomy) alveolar (relating to the jaw ridge)
3. (phonetics, of a phoneme) alveolar (produced on the jaw ridge)

Noun

alveolar f (plural alveolares)

1. (phonetics) alveolar (a consonant produced on the jaw ridge)

Further reading

• “alveolar”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “alveolar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewlósder.

Proto-Italic *aulos?

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.

Proto-Indo-European *-wósder.

Proto-Italic *alwos?

Latin alvus

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos

Proto-Italic *-ejos

Proto-Italic *-eos

Latin -eus

Latin alveus

Proto-Indo-European *-lós

Proto-Indo-European *-e-lós

Proto-Italic *-elos

Latin -ulus

Latin -olus

Latin alveoluslbor.

French alvéole

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin -ārisslbor.

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-os?

Proto-Indo-European *-o-

Proto-Indo-European *-so-

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂so-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *-yós

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂s(i)yós

Proto-Italic *-āsijos

Proto-Italic *-āsios

Latin -āriusslbor.

French -aire

French alvéolairebor.

Romanian alveolar

Borrowed from French alvéolaire.

Adjective

alveolar m or n (feminine singular alveolară, masculine plural alveolari, feminine/neuter plural alveolare)

1. alveolar

Declension

Declension of alveolar

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	alveolar		alveolară	alveolari	alveolare
	definite	alveolarul		alveolara	alveolarii	alveolarele
genitive- dative	indefinite	alveolar		alveolare	alveolari	alveolare
	definite	alveolarului		alveolarei	alveolarilor	alveolarelor

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /alʋeǒlaːr/
• Hyphenation: al‧ve‧o‧lar

Noun

alveòlār m inan (Cyrillic spelling алвео̀ла̄р)

1. an alveolar

   Synonym: dèsnīk

Declension

Declension of alveolar

	singular	plural
nominative	alveòlār	alveolari
genitive	alveolára	alveolara
dative	alveolaru	alveolarima
accusative	alveolar	alveolare
vocative	alveolare	alveolari
locative	alveolaru	alveolarima
instrumental	alveolarom	alveolarima

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewlósder.

Proto-Italic *aulos?

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.

Proto-Indo-European *-wósder.

Proto-Italic *alwos?

Latin alvus

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos

Proto-Italic *-ejos

Proto-Italic *-eos

Latin -eus

Latin alveus

Proto-Indo-European *-lós

Proto-Indo-European *-e-lós

Proto-Italic *-elos

Latin -ulus

Latin -olus

Latin alveoluslbor.

Spanish alvéolo

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin -āris

Old Spanish -ar

Spanish -ar

Spanish alveolar

From alvéolo + -ar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /albeoˈlaɾ/ [al.β̞e.oˈlaɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: al‧ve‧o‧lar

Adjective

alveolar m or f (masculine and feminine plural alveolares)

1. alveolar

Noun

alveolar f (plural alveolares)

1. alveolar

Further reading

• “alveolar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026

Swedish

Etymology

From German alveolar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /alvɛʊˈlɑːr/

Adjective

alveolar (not comparable)

1. (phonology, phonetics) alveolar

Declension

Inflection of alveolar

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	alveolar	—	—
neuter singular	alveolart	—	—
plural	alveolara	—	—
masculine plural2	alveolare	—	—
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	alveolare	—	—
all	alveolara	—	—

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Noun

alveolar c

1. (phonetics, phonology) alveolar consonant

Declension

Declension of alveolar

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	alveolar	alveolars
	definite	alveolaren	alveolarens
plural	indefinite	alveolarer	alveolarers
	definite	alveolarerna	alveolarernas

References

• “alveolar”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “alveolar”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “alveolar”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)