Great site to keep my english skills updated for work and travel. I am really enjoying the lessons!
Maria C
Argentina
Todos nós conhecemos a sensação embaraçosa de descobrir que pronunciamos mal uma palavra há anos. Por outro lado, algumas palavras são tão comumente mal pronunciadas que a pronúncia "correta" soa totalmente estranha.
Não se sinta mal se estiver pronunciando incorretamente algumas dessas palavras complicadas. Uma língua viva como o inglês evolui e prospera precisamente porque é falada todos os dias. Algumas pessoas optam por aderir a regras rígidas de gramática e pronúncia (conhecidas como prescrição linguística) e têm prazer na precisão da gramática e do vocabulário do inglês. Outros preferem a abordagem da linguística descritiva, que não aplica julgamentos como "correto" ou "incorreto", mas em vez disso examina como a linguagem é realmente usada. Em outras palavras, contanto que as pessoas possam entendê-lo, você estará usando a linguagem com sucesso para seu propósito principal: comunicação.
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
Verifique sua pontuação - Experimente nosso Quiz de inglês grátis + receba um bônus grátis
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!
França
