la|bi|al

la|bi|al «LAY bee uhl», adjective, noun.

–adj.

1. of the lips: »

vibrations of the labial palps of hawk moths.

2. having to do with or like a labium.

3. Phonetics. pronounced with the lips closed, nearly closed, or rounded.

4. Music. having tones produced by the impact of an air current on the edge of a lip, such as that of a flute or an organ flue pipe.

–n.

1. Phonetics. a sound pronounced with the lips closed, nearly closed, or rounded. B, p, and m are labials.

2. Music. a flue pipe, as distinguished from a reed pipe.

╂[< Medieval Latin labialis < Latin labium lip]

–la´bi|al|ly, adverb.