alveolar vs consonant

alveolar and consonant both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
alveolar	Yes	Yes	No	No
consonant	Yes	Yes	No	No

As nouns, consonant is a hypernym of alveolar; that is, consonant is a word with a broader meaning than alveolar:

alveolar: a consonant articulated with the tip of the tongue near the gum ridge
consonant: a speech sound that is not a vowel

alveolar (noun)	consonant (noun)
a consonant articulated with the tip of the tongue near the gum ridge	a speech sound that is not a vowel
	a letter of the alphabet standing for a spoken consonant

alveolar (adjective)	consonant (adjective)
pertaining to the tiny air sacs of the lungs	in keeping
pertaining to the sockets of the teeth or that part of the upper jaw	involving or characterized by harmony