laminal (adj.)

A term used in PHONETIC classification, referring to a sound made with the BLADE or lamina of the TONGUE in contact with the upper lip, teeth or alveolar ridge, as in ALVEOLAR (i.e. lamino-alveolar) or DENTAL (i.e. lamino-dental) sounds. A distinction needs to be made with laminar in acoustics, which refers to the smoothness of flow of a fluid (in this case, air) across a surface.