carinate

Carinate refers to a characteristic in biology and linguistics. In biology, it describes a feature that is keeled or has a ridge, similar to the keel of a boat. This term is often applied to the sternum of birds, where a prominent keel, also known as a carina, provides a large surface area for the attachment of flight muscles. The size of this keel is generally proportional to the bird's ability to fly. Some flightless birds, like penguins and ostriches, have reduced or absent carinae. The term can also describe the shape of certain anatomical structures in insects, reptiles, and other animals.

In linguistics, "carinate" refers to consonants that are produced with the tongue raised towards the roof of the mouth in a way that creates a prominent ridge or keel-like shape. These sounds are often described as having a "grooved" or "channelled" airflow. The term is less commonly used in general linguistics compared to phonetics and phonology, where more specific phonetic descriptions are preferred. However, it can be used to categorize certain types of sibilant sounds.