Great site to keep my english skills updated for work and travel. I am really enjoying the lessons!
Maria C
Argentina
We all know the embarrassing feeling of discovering we've been mispronouncing a word for years. On the other hand, some words are so commonly mispronounced that the "correct" pronunciation sounds downright strange.
Don't feel bad if you've been mispronouncing some of these tricky words. A living language like English evolves and thrives precisely because it is spoken every day. Some people choose to adhere to rigid rules of grammar and pronunciation (known as linguistic prescription) and take pleasure in the precision of English grammar and vocabulary. Others prefer the descriptive linguistics approach, which doesn't apply judgments such as "correct" or "incorrect" but instead looks at how language is actually used. In other words, as long as people can understand you, you are successfully using language for its primary purpose: communication.
1. Accede
How to say it: ak-SEED
May be mispronounced: a-SEED
What it means: to consent, give approval; yield to another’s wishes
2. Alias
How to say it: AY-lee-iss
What it means: an assumed name taken on temporarily, sometimes by a criminal or fugitive
3. Anathema
How to say it: uh-NATH-uh-muh
What it means: someone or something that one strongly dislikes or loathes
4. Anemone
How to say it: uh-NEH-muh-nee
What it means: a flower in the buttercup family; a sedentary marine animal, as in sea anemone
5. Apocryphal
How to say it: uh-POK-ruh-fuhl
What it means: of questionable authenticity, as in a story or statement
6. Camaraderie
How to say it: kah-muh-RAH-duh-ree
May be mispronounced: kahm-RAH-duh-ree
What it means: easy familiarity and friendship, often built over time
7. Colloquialism
How to say it: kuh-loh-kwee-uh-liz-uhm
What it means: a word, phrase, or expression that is conversational rather than formal
8. Debauch
How to say it: dih-BAWCH
What it means: to lead away from virtue; to corrupt morally
9. Demagogue
How to say it: DEM-uh-gog
What it means: a leader who appeals to popular passions and prejudices to gain support
10.Emollient
How to say it: ih-MOL-yuhnt
What it means: making smoother or less harsh; a substance with a soothing effect on the skin
11. Epitome
How to say it: ih-PIT-uh-mee
May be mispronounced: eh-pi-TOME
What it means: a person or thing that characterizes a whole category to which it belongs
12. Espouse
How to say it: ih-SPOWZ
May be mispronounced: ex-POWZ
What it means: to follow or support an idea or theory as a cause
13. Espresso
How to say it: eh-SPRES-oh
May be mispronounced: ex-PRESS-oh
What it means: a strong coffee of Italian origin, made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee beans
14. Fatuous
How to say it: FACH-oo-uss
May be mispronounced: FAT-choo-uss
What it means: foolish, inane; devoid of intelligence
15. Forte
How to say it: for-TAY or fort (depending on meaning)
What it means: a musical direction meaning loud (pronounced "for-TAY"); a strong point or a strength (pronounced "fort")
16. Grandiloquent
How to say it: gran-DILL-uh-kwuhnt
What it means: extravagant, lofty, or bombastic in style or manner, especially language
17. Hegemony
How to say it: hih-JEH-muh-nee
May be mispronounced: hedge-ih-MOAN-ee or homo-JENNY
What it means: authority, leadership, or influence by a dominant social group
18. Inchoate
How to say it: in-KOH-it
What it means: only partly in existence; partially formed, as in an idea
19. Knell
How to say it: nel
May be mispronounced: knel (with the k)
What it means: the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce death or a funeral
20. Maelstrom
How to say it: meyl-struhm
What it means: a violent whirlpool
21. Mauve
How to say it: mohv
May be mispronounced: mawv
What it means: a pale purple color
22. Mischievous
How to say it: MISS-chuh-vuhs
May be mispronounced: mis-CHEE-vee-uhs (note the extra syllable)
What it means: naughtily annoying or troublemaking
23. Nadir
How to say it: NAY-deer
What it means: the lowest point
24. Neophyte
How to say it: NEE-uh-fahyt
What it means: a beginner, a new participant
25. Noisome
How to say it: NOI-sum
What it means: disgusting, as in odor; capable of causing nausea
26. Panacea
How to say it: pan-uh-SEE-uh
What it means: a cure-all; a remedy for all illness or solution for all problems
27. Phlegmatic
How to say it: fleg-MAT-ik
What it means: slow to react, not showing emotion; calm and composed
28. Protean
How to say it: PROH-tee-uhn
May be mispronounced: pro-teen
What it means: assuming various forms; changeable in shape, as an amoeba
29. Puerile
How to say it: PYOO-er-il
What it means: relating to a child or childhood; immature, foolish
30. Pulchritude
How to say it: PUHL-kri-tood
What it means: physical beauty, comeliness
31. Quinoa
How to say it: KEEN-wah
May be mispronounced: KEEN-oh-ah
What it means: a small edible crop seed
32. Quixotic
How to say it: kwik-SOT-ik
What it means: insensibly extravagant or romantic
33. Sanguine
How to say it: SANG-gwin
May be mispronounced: sang-WHINE
What it means: cheerful, hopeful, confident, especially in a bad situation
34. Sherbet
How to say it: SHUR-bit
May be mispronounced: SHUR-burt
What it means: a frozen fruit-flavored dessert made without milk
35. Staid
How to say it: steyd
What it means: settled; sedate in character
36. Surfeit
How to say it: SUR-fit
What it means: an excessive amount
37. Timbre
How to say it: TAM-ber
May be mispronounced: TIM-ber (as in, that tree's about to fall down)
What it means: the sound or tonal quality of a particular voice or musical instrument
38. Truculent
How to say it: TRUHK-yuh-luhnt
What it means: defiant, quick to argue or fight
39. Vicissitude
How to say it: vih-SIS-ih-tood
What it means: a change in circumstance, usually undesired
40. Zephyr
How to say it: ZEF-er
May be mispronounced: ZEF-fire
What it means: a soft, mild breeze
Great site to keep my english skills updated for work and travel. I am really enjoying the lessons!
Argentina
Loved the course. Abitlity to improve my grammar and spelling in a step by step method has really helped me. Thanks!
France
