# syllable

/ˈsɪɫəbəɫ/ (US) · /sˈɪləbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/syllable
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. unit of sound

noun · CEFR B1

a single part of a word that you say with one breath or sound.

For teachers: a unit of spoken language that is next bigger than a speech sound and consists of a single vowel sound with or without surrounding consonants.

- The word 'water' has two syllables: 'wa' and 'ter'.
- Linguists often analyse the structure of a syllable by dividing it into the onset, the nucleus, and the coda.

### 2. written representation

noun · CEFR B2

the letters in a written word that represent one sound unit.

For teachers: the character or set of characters representing a spoken syllable in writing.

- In some languages, each character represents a full syllable rather than just one letter.
- The student struggled to identify the correct break between syllables when hyphenating words at the end of the line.

### 3. a tiny amount

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

the smallest possible part of something said or written.

For teachers: the smallest articulate element of a discourse or writing; often used in negative constructions to mean 'not even a little bit'.

- He refused to change even a single syllable of his original statement.
- The witness remained obstinate, refusing to utter a syllable that might incriminate his former associates during the cross-examination.

### 4. to pronounce clearly

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to say each part of a word very clearly.

For teachers: to utter or articulate in distinct syllables; to pronounce with careful emphasis on each sound unit.

- The actor began to syllable the ancient verses with great care.
- The poet sought to syllable the wind's low moan, attempting to capture the precise cadence of the storm in his recitation.

## Examples

- The word 'cat' has only one syllable.
- When learning a new language, it helps to break long words down into each individual syllable to improve your pronunciation.
- Haiku poetry relies on a strict structure of seventeen syllables arranged in a five-seven-five pattern across three lines.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.