syllable
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syllable
A syllable is a sequence of speech sounds (formed from vowels and consonants) organized into a single unit. Syllables act as the building blocks of a spoken word, determining the pace and rhythm of how the word is pronounced.
The three structural elements of a syllable are the nucleus, the onset, and the coda.
Syllables can be structured several ways, but they always contain a nucleus, which is (usually) formed from a vowel sound. The nucleus is the core of the syllable, indicating its individual “beat” within a word; the number of syllables in a word will be determined by the number of vowel sounds forming their nuclei.
syl·la·ble
(sĭl′ə-bəl)n.
1.
a. A unit of spoken language consisting of a single uninterrupted sound formed by a vowel, diphthong, or syllabic consonant alone, or by any of these sounds preceded, followed, or surrounded by one or more consonants.
b. One or more letters or phonetic symbols written or printed to approximate a spoken syllable.
2. The slightest bit of spoken or written expression: Do not alter a syllable of this message.
tr.v. syl·la·bled, syl·la·bling, syl·la·bles
To pronounce in syllables.
[Middle English sillable, from Anglo-Norman, alteration of Old French sillabe, from Latin syllaba, from Greek sullabē, from sullabein, second aorist of sullambanein, to combine in pronunciation : sun-, syn- + lambanein, to take.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
syllable
(ˈsɪləbəl)n
1. (Phonetics & Phonology) a combination or set of one or more units of sound in a language that must consist of a sonorous element (a sonant or vowel) and may or may not contain less sonorous elements (consonants or semivowels) flanking it on either or both sides: for example "paper" has two syllables. See also open34b, closed6a
2. (Linguistics) (in the writing systems of certain languages, esp ancient ones) a symbol or set of symbols standing for a syllable
3. the least mention in speech or print: don't breathe a syllable of it.
4. in words of one syllable simply; bluntly
vb
5. (Phonetics & Phonology) to pronounce syllables of (a text); articulate
6. (Linguistics) (tr) to write down in syllables
[C14: via Old French from Latin syllaba, from Greek sullabē, from sullambanein to collect together, from sul- syn- + lambanein to take]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
syl•la•ble
(ˈsɪl ə bəl)n., v. -bled, -bling. n.
1. an uninterrupted segment of speech consisting of a center of relatively great sonority with or without one or more accompanying sounds of relatively less sonority: “Dog,” “eye,” “strength,” and “sixths” are English words of one syllable; “doghouse” has two syllables.
2. one or more written letters or characters representing more or less exactly such an element of speech.
3. the slightest portion or amount of speech or writing; the least mention.
v.t. 4. to utter in syllables; articulate.
[1350–1400; < Anglo-French; Middle French sillabe < Latin syllaba < Greek syllabḗ, n. derivative of syllambánein to gather together =syl- + lambánein to take]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
syllable
Past participle: syllabled
Gerund: syllabling
| Imperative |
|---|
| syllable |
| syllable |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
syllable
A single unit of sound made in the pronunciation of a word.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | syllable - a unit of spoken language larger than a phoneme; "the word `pocket' has two syllables" language unit, linguistic unit - one of the natural units into which linguistic messages can be analyzed word - a unit of language that native speakers can identify; "words are the blocks from which sentences are made"; "he hardly said ten words all morning" ultima - the last syllable in a word reduplication - the syllable added in a reduplicated word form solfa syllable - one of the names for notes of a musical scale in solmization |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
مَقْطَعمَقْطَعٌ لَفْظِيّ
slabika
stavelse
tavu
slog
szótag
atkvæîi
音節
음절
silabinisskiemeninisskiemuo
zilbe
slabika
zlog
slog
stavelse
พยางค์
âm tiết
syllable
[ˈsɪləbl] N → sílaba fI will explain it in words of one syllable → te lo explico como a un niño
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
syllable
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
syllable
(ˈsiləbl) noun a word or part of a word usually containing a vowel sound. `Cheese' has one syllable, `but-ter' two and `mar-ga-rine' three.
syllabic (-ˈlӕ-) adjectiveKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
syllable
→ مَقْطَعٌ لَفْظِيّ slabika stavelse Silbe συλλαβή sílaba tavu syllabe slog sillaba 音節 음절 lettergreep stavelse sylaba sílaba слог stavelse พยางค์ hece âm tiết 音节Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
syllable
n. gr. sílaba.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012