WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026syl•la•ble /ˈsɪləbəl/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
- Phoneticsan uninterrupted sound in speech having a vowel sound, or a sound nearly vowellike, sometimes together with a nonvowel sound:"Dog,'' "eye,'' and "sixths'' are English words of one syllable; "doghouse'' has two syllables.
- the slightest portion or amount of speech or writing;
the least mention:Don't speak another syllable; you've already said too much.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026syl•la•ble
(sil′ə bəl),USA pronunciation n., v., -bled, -bling. n.
- Phoneticsan uninterrupted segment of speech consisting of a center of relatively great sonority with or without one or more accompanying sounds of relatively less sonority:"Man,'' "eye,'' "strength,'' and "sixths'' are English words of one syllable.
- Linguisticsone or more written letters or characters representing more or less exactly such an element of speech.
- the slightest portion or amount of speech or writing;
the least mention:Do not breathe a syllable of all this.
v.t.
- to utter in syllables;
articulate.
- to represent by syllables.
v.i.
- to utter syllables;
speak.
- Greek syllabé̄, equivalent. to syl- syl- + lab- (base of lambánein to take) + -ē noun, nominal suffix
- Latin syllaba
- Anglo-French; Middle French sillabe
- Middle English sillable 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
syllable /ˈsɪləbəl/ n - a combination or set of one or more units of sound in a language that must consist of a sonorous element (a sonant or vowel) and may or may not contain less sonorous elements (consonants or semivowels) flanking it on either or both sides: for example "paper" has two syllables
See also open, closed - (in the writing systems of certain languages, esp ancient ones) a symbol or set of symbols standing for a syllable
- the least mention in speech or print: don't breathe a syllable of it
- in words of one syllable ⇒ simply; bluntly
vb - to pronounce syllables of (a text); articulate
- (transitive) to write down in syllables
Etymology: 14th Century: via Old French from Latin syllaba, from Greek sullabē, from sullambanein to collect together, from sul- syn- + lambanein to take
'syllabled' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):