1. Relating to or lying near the palate
   "palatal index";
   - palatine
    
2. 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’)
   "The palatal consonants in Slavic languages can be challenging for English speakers";
   - palatalized, palatalised [Brit]

1. A semivowel produced with the tongue near the palate (like the initial sound in the English word ‘yeast’)
   "The 'y' sound in 'yellow' is a palatal"

Derived forms: palatals

See also: soft

Type of: glide, semivowel

Encyclopedia: Palatal