Definition & Meaning of "back vowel"

What is a "back vowel"?

A back vowel is a type of vowel sound produced with the highest part of the tongue positioned toward the back of the mouth. This tongue placement creates a distinct quality in the sound. In English, examples of back vowels include the "oo" sound in "food," the "o" sound in "hot," and the "u" sound in "put." Back vowels are characterized by their specific tongue position and contribute to the diversity of vowel sounds in a language. Understanding back vowels is essential for accurate pronunciation and for recognizing how different sounds function in spoken language.