trisyllabic words

Meanings

1. 1phrasepluraltechnical

   Words made up of three syllables, such as 'banana' or 'computer'.

   Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase; for one word say 'a trisyllabic word'.

   Patterns

   • a trisyllabic word
   • trisyllabic words like something

   In phonology class we listed trisyllabic words such as 'elephant' and 'potato'.

   English has thousands of trisyllabic words, many borrowed from Latin.

   Stress in trisyllabic words often falls on the second syllable.

2. 2phrasepluraltechnical

   The study or category of words having exactly three syllables.

   Grammar: Often appears after verbs like 'identify' or 'count' in language lessons.

   Patterns

   • count trisyllabic words
   • identify trisyllabic words

   The teacher asked us to count the trisyllabic words in the poem.

   Her research focuses on how children learn trisyllabic words.

Common combinations

trisyllabic word stress

Trisyllabic word stress usually lands on the first or second syllable.

list of trisyllabic words

She handed out a list of trisyllabic words for practice.

common trisyllabic words

'Family' and 'holiday' are common trisyllabic words.

pronounce trisyllabic words

Learners often find it hard to pronounce trisyllabic words smoothly.

Synonyms and how they differ

three-syllable words

A plain everyday equivalent; use it when you do not want a technical term.

Opposites

Word family

trisyllable noun

A single word or metrical unit of three syllables.

trisyllabic adjective

Having three syllables, used of a single word.

syllabic adjective

Relating to syllables.

Commonly confused: trisyllabic words or disyllabic?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “trisyllabic words”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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