syllable

1 of 2

noun

syl·​la·​ble ˈsi-lə-bəl 

1

: a unit of spoken language that is next bigger than a speech sound and consists of one or more vowel sounds alone or of a syllabic consonant alone or of either with one or more consonant sounds preceding or following

2

: one or more letters (such as syl, la, and ble) in a word (such as syl*la*ble) usually set off from the rest of the word by a centered dot or a hyphen and roughly corresponding to the syllables of spoken language and treated as helps to pronunciation or as guides to placing hyphens at the end of a line

3

: the smallest conceivable expression or unit of something : jot

4

: sol-fa syllables

syllable

2 of 2

verb

syllabled; syllabling ˈsi-lə-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to give a number or arrangement of syllables to (a word or verse)

2

: to express or utter in or as if in syllables

Synonyms

Noun

• beans
• bubkes
• bupkes
• bupkus
• continental
• damn
• darn
• durn
• diddly [slang]
• diddly-squat [slang]
• doodley-squat
• doodly-squat
• fig
• ghost
• hoot
• iota
• jot
• lick
• modicum
• rap
• squat [slang]
• tittle
• whit
• whoop

Examples of syllable in a Sentence

Noun

The word “doctor” has two syllables.

“Doctor” is a two-syllable word.

The first syllable of the word “doctor” is given stress.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Keweenaw Put the long E sound in the first syllable, not the second. —Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press, 18 June 2020

Making a seamless record, where every note and syllable is in place and every bass drum is identical, is no trick. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French sillabe, silable, from Latin syllaba, from Greek syllabē, from syllambanein to gather together, from syn- + lambanein to take — more at latch

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing syllable

• in words of one syllable
• open syllable

Kids Definition

syllable

noun

syl·​la·​ble

ˈsil-ə-bəl

1

: a unit of spoken language that consists of one or more vowel sounds alone or with one or more consonant sounds preceding or following

2

: one or more letters (as syl, la, and ble) in a word (as syl*la*ble) usually set off from the rest of the word by a centered dot or a hyphen and treated as guides to division at the end of a line