cerradas

Cerradas are a linguistic term describing a class of vowels known as high or close vowels. The term derives from Spanish and reflects the tongue position during articulation: high and near the palate, producing a relatively closed jaw. Vowels are commonly described by height: cerradas (high/close), medias (mid), and abiertas (low/open). Cerradas are produced with the tongue raised toward the roof of the mouth; the exact height and frontness give rise to distinct vowels, such as close front vowels like [i] and close back vowels like [u]. Lip rounding often accompanies back high vowels and is typically not present for front high vowels.

Cross-linguistically, languages contrast high vowels with other vowels, forming vowel inventories that include i, u, and other vowels depending on language. Some analyses also describe near-close vowels in the same spectrum, depending on phonetic detail.

In Spanish phonology, the five-vowel system includes i and u as cerradas; these are often listed as high vowels, with e and o generally described as mid or close-mid in many dialects, and a as open. The distinction between cerradas and abiertas contributes to vowel harmony, vowel alternations, and phonological processes such as vowel height alternations in stressed syllables.