lingual

adjective

lin·​gual ˈliŋ-gwəl 

also

ˈliŋ-gyə-wəl 

1

a

: of, relating to, or resembling the tongue

b

: lying near or next to the tongue

especially : relating to or being the surface of tooth next to the tongue

c

: produced by the tongue

2

: linguistic

lingually adverb

Examples of lingual in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lingual Braces Lingual braces are thin pieces of braided metal wire that are adhered to the back (the lingual side) of the teeth. —Daley Quinn, Allure, 15 Aug. 2025

On the tongue, warts usually look gray or white and grow on the sides of the tongue or the lingual frenulum (the fold underneath your tongue).7 Oral warts are caused by different strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). —Carley Millhone, Health, 6 July 2025

To see what else snakes might be up to with all that lingual action, these biologists recorded snake tongues with four high-speed video cameras and reconstructed a 3D model of the tongue in motion. —Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 18 Nov. 2013

Initially, Hoffmann tries to use Kambazemi — an intelligent, multi-lingual Herero woman — as an example to disprove his professor’s racist evolutionary theories. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Latin lingua

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lingual

• audio-lingual

Rhymes for lingual

• bilingual
• sublingual
• trilingual
• monolingual

Kids Definition

lingual

adjective

lin·​gual ˈliŋ-g(yə-)wəl 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a tongue

2

: produced by the tongue

lingual sounds such as \t\ or \l\

lingually

-ē

adverb

Medical Definition

lingual

adjective

lin·​gual ˈliŋ-g(yə-)wəl 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling the tongue

2

: lying near or next to the tongue

a lingual blood vessel

especially : relating to or being the surface of a tooth next to the tongue