¹syllable

noun syl·la·ble \ˈsi-lə-bəl\

: any one of the parts into which a word is naturally divided when it is pronounced

Full Definition of SYLLABLE

: 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

: 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 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

: the smallest conceivable expression or unit of something : jot

: sol-fa syllables

See syllable defined for English-language learners

See syllable defined for kids

Origin of SYLLABLE

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: 14th century

Related to SYLLABLE

Synonyms: beans, bubkes (also bupkes or bupkus), continental, damn, darn (also durn), diddly [slang], diddly-squat [slang], doodley-squat (or doodly-squat), fig, ghost, hoot, iota, lick, modicum, rap, squat [slang], jot, tittle, whit, whoop

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

Rhymes with SYLLABLE

billable, spillable, tillable

²syllable

transitive verb

syl·la·bledsyl·la·bling \-b(ə-)liŋ\

Definition of SYLLABLE

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

: to express or utter in or as if in syllables

First Known Use of SYLLABLE

15th century

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

Rhymes with SYLLABLE

billable

SYLLABLE Defined for Kids

syllable

noun syl·la·ble \ˈsi-lə-bəl\

Definition of SYLLABLE for Kids

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

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