# retroflex

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈɹɛt.ɹəʊ.flɛks/

## Definitions
1. Bent or curved backwards.
2. Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue is raised and bent backwards, so that the underside of the tongue approaches or touches the palate.
3. Of pronunciation in which the tip of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.
4. Of pronunciation in which the blade of the tongue approaches or touches the back of the alveolar ridge.
5. Of any of the aforementioned pronunciations.

## Etymology
From Latin rētrōflexus, the perfect participle of rētrōflectō (“bend, turn”), from flectō (“bend, turn”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/retroflex