syllable
/ˈsɪləbəl/ · syl·la·ble
noun
- A unit of human speech that is interpreted by the listener as a single sound, although syllables usually consist of one or more vowel sounds, either alone or combined with the sound of one or more consonants; a word consists of one or more syllables. The word 'hello' consists of two syllables: hel-lo.
- The written representation of a given pronounced syllable. The syllable 'ba' is written as 'ba' in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
- A small part of a sentence or discourse; anything concise or short; a particle. The syllable 'um' is often used as a filler word in conversation.
verb
- To utter in syllables. The singer syllabated the lyrics to help the audience follow along.
Did you know? The concept of syllables is crucial in poetry and music, as it affects the rhythm and meter of a piece.