Distributed

A distinctive feature to express variations in place of articulation in fricative sounds. Distributed sounds ([+dist]) are defined articulatorily, as those produced with a stricture that extends for a considerable distance along the direction of the airflow, as in bilabial and palato-alveolar fricatives. Non-distributed sounds ([-dist]) are produced with a relatively short stricture, as in dental and retroflex fricatives. Example: some languages (e.g. Ewe) have a distinction between bilabial and labio-dental fricatives. These are both [labial] but the former are [+dist] and the latter [-dist].

» Glossary: morphology and phonology