1. relating to or located at the apex or tip of something
Usage: commonly used in anatomy, botany, and linguistics
2. (phonetics) produced with the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge or teeth
Usage: technical term in linguistics

Examples

• The apical meristem is the growing tip of a plant stem.
• Apical dominance causes the main stem to grow taller than side branches.
• The apical surface of the tooth is the chewing surface.
• In linguistics, /t/ and /d/ are apical consonants in many languages.
• Apical buds control the overall shape and height of the plant.
• The apical region of the root absorbs water and nutrients.