syllable
ˈsɪl.ə.bəl
Definition Synonyms Conjugation

Definition of syllable - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

1.
linguisticsunit of speech with a vowel sound
  • The word 'banana' has three syllables.
phoneme segment
2.
writingwritten symbol representing one spoken sound unit
  • In Japanese, each kana represents a syllable.

Verb

tr.
1.
pronounceDatedsay words in separate partsDated
  • She syllabled the word slowly for emphasis.
articulate enunciate pronounce
2.
writingDatedwrite words in separate partsDated
  • He syllabled the poem for better understanding.
divide segment
Add a suggestion |

Expressions with syllable

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
sound without meaning in a song
The singer used a nonsense syllable in the chorus.
express in simple, clear, straightforward language
He explained the rules in words of one syllable.
permissible arrangement of sounds in a syllable
The syllable structure of Japanese is simpler than English.
syllable ending in a consonant
In the word 'cat', 'cat' is a closed syllable..
syllable with long vowel or coda
The word 'strength' has a heavy syllable.
syllable with a short vowel and no coda
In Latin, 'pa' is a light syllable.

Origin of syllable

Greek, syllabe (that which is taken together)

Terms with syllable included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
speech
stress on a syllable or musical note
speech
emphasize a word or syllable in speech
pronunciation
pronounce each letter or syllable slowly
ahintj.
musical filler
use as a syllable to fill space, especially in music or singing
syllable emphasis
emphasise a syllable in a word
speech
extra force on a syllable or word in speech
phonology
onset of a syllable in phonetics
lan.
music
syllable for the sixth note in solfège

Examples of syllable in a sentence

  • In poetry, every syllable counts for rhythm.
  • The teacher asked the students to count each syllable.
  • The poet carefully chose words with a single syllable.
  • He syllabled each name carefully during the roll call.
  • The teacher asked him to syllable the difficult words.
  • The teacher syllabled the word to help the students.

View all translations of syllable

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:syllabe, découper, ...
  2. German:Silbe, silbenweise aussprechen, ...
  3. Italian:sillaba, sillabare, ...
  4. Spanish:sílaba, silabear, ...
  5. Portuguese:sílaba, silabar, ...
  6. Chinese:音节, 分音节地说, ...
  7. Japanese:音節, 発音する, ...
  8. Arabic:مقطع, قَطَّعَ, ...
  9. Hebrew:הֲבָרָה, לְהַגּוֹת בְּהֲבָרוֹת, ...
  10. Russian:слог, произносить по слогам, ...
  11. Ukrainian:склад, вимовляти по складах, ...
  12. Hindi:अक्षर, उच्चारित करना, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

Get more than a simple definition

Go from understanding to mastery