Velar

Definition
A velar is a sound or a place of articulation where the passive articulator is the velum (soft palate). It is produced with a constriction formed by raising the back of the tongue (=dorsum) towards the soft palate (=velum).

Examples
[k], [ɡ], [ŋ], [x]

Polysemy
"Velar" is also an adjective describing anything involving the velum. For describing things involving the velum in its role of controlling the opening to the nasal cavity, the adjective "velic" is often used instead.

Comments
"Velar" is a term also used for vowels: back vowels are velar, as opposed to front vowels, which are palatal.

Other languages

 * German Velar (de)

Links

 * Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics