apical, a.
(ˈæpɪkəl, ˈeɪpɪ-)
[f. L. apic-em (see apex n.1) + -al1.]
1. Of or belonging to an apex; situated at the summit or tip.
| 1828 Kirby & Spence Entomol. III. xxxv. 613 The proportion that the apical area bears to the rest of the wing. 1882 H. Ward in Jrnl. Microsc. Sc. Jan. 4 This germinal tube rapidly grows forwards, extending by apical growth. |
2. Phonetics. Pertaining to articulation with, or sounds made by, the tip of the tongue. Hence as n., an apical sound.
| 1899 Rippmann Elem. Phonet. 71 The part of the tongue which helps to form the narrowing is the front rim. The front rim of the tongue: apical formation. 1902 E. W. Scripture Elem. Experimental Phonet. xxi. 296 An articulation of the extreme point [of the tongue] is often termed ‘apical’. 1935 G. K. Zipf Psycho-Biol. of Lang. (1936) iii. 78 The apical trill or ‘rolled r’ of Italian. 1964 E. Palmer tr. Martinet's Elem. Gen. Linguistics ii. 49 It [a consonant] is apical if it is pronounced with the tip of the tongue (apex) like the [t] of touche. Ibid. iii. 64 ‘Apicals’ are always stops in French. |