Definitions

1. verb

to change or cause the sound of a consonant to be made with the tongue against the palate, or to have the effect of such a change

“The sound of the ‘k’ in the word ‘kite’ palatalizes slightly due to the influence of the preceding vowel.”

2. verb

in phonetics, to change the pronunciation of a consonant sound so that it is made with the tongue in contact with the hard palate, rather than with the alveolar ridge or elsewhere

“In some dialects of English, the sound of the ‘t’ in ‘tot’ palatalizes when it comes after the vowel sound in the preceding word.”

3. verb

to give a sound a palatal quality

“The song’s melody palatalizes the sound of the vocalist’s voice, creating a unique and haunting effect.”