alveolar

• Relatif aux petites cavités pulmonaires (alvéoles) ou à la crête osseuse contenant les alvéoles dentaires ; également utilisé en phonétique pour décrire les sons articulés avec la langue contre la crête alvéolaire.

Relating to the small air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) or the bony ridge containing tooth sockets; also used in phonetics to describe sounds produced with the tongue near the alveolar ridge.

1. Phonetic articulationC1formal

   Describing a speech sound produced with the tongue tip touching or near the ridge behind the upper front teeth.

   Articulation alvéolaire

   • The 't' and 'd' sounds in English are alveolar consonants.
   • Linguists study the alveolar ridge to understand speech production.
   • The alveolar stop is a common sound in many languages.

2. Anatomical (lung)C1formalmedical

   Relating to the tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.

   alvéolaire (pulmonaire)

   • Alveolar damage can lead to respiratory failure.
   • Oxygen passes from the alveolar sacs into the bloodstream.
   • The doctor examined the patient's alveolar function.

3. Anatomical (dental)C1formalmedical

   Pertaining to the sockets of the teeth or the part of the jaw that contains them.

   Alvéolaire (anatomie dentaire)

   • The alveolar bone supports the roots of the teeth.
   • Alveolar fractures are common in facial trauma.
   • Dentists assess the health of the alveolar ridge before implants.

• Nom désignant une consonne articulée avec la langue contre la crête alvéolaire, ou ce qui se rapporte aux minuscules cavités des poumons, ou encore aux alvéoles dentaires.

A noun referring to a consonant sound articulated with the tongue near the gum ridge, or relating to the tiny air sacs in the lungs, or pertaining to the sockets of the teeth.

1. Speech soundC1formal

   A consonant sound produced by placing the tip of the tongue against or near the bony ridge behind the upper front teeth.

   Consonne alvéolaire

   • The sounds /t/, /d/, /n/, and /s/ are examples of alveolars in English.
   • Linguists classify the 'l' sound as an alveolar lateral approximant.
   • She practiced the alveolar trill to perfect her Spanish pronunciation.

2. Lung anatomyC1formalmedical

   Relating to the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.

   Alvéolaire (anatomie pulmonaire)

   • Alveolar damage can lead to serious respiratory conditions.
   • The doctor explained the function of the alveolar walls in oxygen absorption.
   • Smoking can cause the destruction of alveolar tissue.

3. Dental anatomyC1formalmedical

   Relating to the sockets in the jawbone that hold the teeth, or the part of the upper jaw containing these sockets.

   alvéolaire (anatomie dentaire)

   • The dentist examined the alveolar ridge for signs of infection.
   • Alveolar bone loss is a common consequence of advanced gum disease.
   • The implant was placed directly into the alveolar bone.

   Synonymesalveolar processalveolar ridge