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

Now she’s taken the next step, training her attention on the gesture that precedes even the syllable. —Adam Begley, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025

Much as the first episode after November’s election started out overly earnest before its mid-cold-open rug-pull, this one barely let Miranda cough out one syllable before James Austin Johnson’s Trump commandeered the sketch, dragging it into a hilarious new direction. —Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025

The final syllable hadn’t quite rolled off the tongue of the inquisitor and Charles Lee chuckled, fully aware what was coming next as if there were a pack of tarot cards stacked in front of him. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2025

It was supposed to be Trismegistus, but the maid tasked with telling the curate got distracted and forgot all but the first syllable. —Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025

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