Apical consonant - Definition and Overview

An apical consonant is a phone produced by obstructing the air passage with the very tip (end) of the tongue. This contrasts with laminal consonants, which are produced by creating a blockage with the blade of the tongue flat against the teeth/gum ridge. This is not a very common distinction, and typically applied only to fricatives and affricates. The Basque language uses this distinction, as does Serbo-Croatian.

See also: List of phonetic topics