See Also: syllable(1)(dictionary)
syllable(2)(dictionary)
syllable(encyclopedia)
syllable(dictionary)
syllable-stumbling(medicine)

syllable(1) (iou)



syllable noun. LME.
[Anglo-Norman sillable, alt. of Old French sillabe (mod. syllabe) from Latin syllaba from Greek sullabe, from sullambanein collect, put, or bring together, formed as SYN- + lambanein take.]
a. A unit of pronunciation uttered without interruption, forming the whole or part of a word and comprising a sound of greater sonority (vowel or vowel-equivalent) with or without one or more sounds of less sonority (consonants or consonant-equivalents) before or after. Also, a symbol, character, or set of characters, representing a corresponding element of written language. LME.
in words of one syllable in simple language; expressed plainly or bluntly. syllable-count, syllable-stress, etc. CLOSED syllable. open syllable: see OPEN adjective.
D. Profumo 'Catholics,' confided Alec, pronouncing the word with three syllables.
b. A word of one syllable. Now rare. LME.
J. B. Priestley 'His wife!'..The..woman let loose these two syllables.
a. The least amount of speech or writing; the least mention or trace of something. Freq. in neg. contexts. LME.
J. R. Green Dante is mentioned but once..without a syllable of comment.
b. In pl. Minute details of language or statement; exact or precise words. L16-E17.
Comb.: syllable-timed adjective of or having a rhythm in which syllables occur at roughly equivalent time intervals, as opp. to stress-timed.