Pronunciation guide: IPA symbols, stress and word endings
Vowels
| iː | see | ɪ | sit | e / ɛ | bed | æ | cat |
| ɑː | father | ɒ | hot (UK) | ɔː | law | ʊ | put |
| uː | too | ʌ | cup | ɜː | bird | ə | about |
| eɪ | day | aɪ | my | ɔɪ | boy | aʊ | now |
| əʊ / oʊ | go (UK / US) | ɪə | near | eə | hair | ʊə | tour |
Consonants that look unusual
| θ | thin | ð | this | ʃ | she | ʒ | measure |
| tʃ | church | dʒ | judge | ŋ | sing | j | yes |
p b t d k g f v s z h m n l r w sound as in ordinary English spelling.
Marks
- ˈ main stress, before the stressed syllable: /ˈwɔːtə/ water · ˌ lighter (secondary) stress: /ˌʌndəˈstænd/ understand
- ː a long vowel · (r) an r said only in accents that pronounce it (most American, Scottish, Irish)
Common word endings
- -s / -es (plurals; he/she form of verbs): /s/ after voiceless sounds (cats), /z/ after voiced (dogs), /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch, j sounds (buses, watches). Spelling: -es after s, x, z, ch, sh; consonant + y → -ies (city → cities).
- -ed (past): /t/ after voiceless sounds (walked), /d/ after voiced (played), /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted). Spelling: love → loved, stop → stopped, carry → carried.
- -ing: make → making, run → running, see → seeing.
- Irregular: go, went, gone · be, was, been · see, saw, seen · man → men · child → children · mouse → mice.
- Older (King James) forms: -eth = -s (he loveth = he loves) · -est with “thou” (thou lovest) · spake = spoke.
English Dictionary · 107,383 entries · Sources & licences
Results for “haviour”
- behaviour nounBritish standard spelling of behavior.
- behavioural adjective(British spelling) Of or pertaining to behaviour.
- behaviourism noun(psychology) behaviorism (an approach focusing on observable behavior which, generally assuming that behavior is determined by the environm…
- behaviourist nounbehaviorist (one who studies behavior of humans or animals)
- misbehaviour noun(British spelling) Alternative spelling of misbehavior.
- behaviouristic adjectiveUK standard spelling of behavioristic.
- abnormal adjective, nounNot conforming to rule or system; deviating from the usual or normal type.
- account noun, verb(accounting) A registry of pecuniary transactions; a written or printed statement of business dealings or debts and credits, and also of ot…
- adulterous adjectiveOf, or characterized by adultery.
- aggro noun, adjective, verbAggravation; bother.
- align verb(intransitive) To form a line; to fall into line.
- altruism nounRegard for others, both natural and moral without regard for oneself; devotion to the interests of others; brotherly kindness.
- angularity noun(uncountable) The property or characteristic of possessing angles.
- animal husbandry nounThe management and care of farm animals by humans for profit, in which genetic qualities and behaviour, considered to be advantageous to hu…
- animalism noun(philosophy, ontology) The doctrine that humans are merely animals, and lack any spirituality.
- animalistic adjectiveIn the manner of and/or resembling an animal.
- antic adjective, noun, verbPlayful, funny, absurd.
- any longer adverb(chiefly in the negative) In negative or interrogative constructions: from a given time onwards.
- apelike adjectiveSimilar to an ape in appearance or behaviour.
- arabic adjective, proper noun, nounOnly used in arabic acid
- arena noun, proper nounAn enclosed area, often outdoor, for the presentation of sporting events (sports arena) or other spectacular events; earthen area, often ov…
- asininity noun(uncountable) The quality of being asinine; obstinate stupidity
- asocial adjective, nounNot social, not relating to society.
- Asperger's syndrome noun(dated, uncountable, neurology) A developmental disorder characterised by the autistic symptoms of sustained impairment in social interacti…
- atavism nounThe reappearance of an ancestral characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; a throwback.
- audaciousness nounRisky or daring behaviour.
- augur noun, verbA diviner who foretells events by the behaviour of birds or other animals, or by signs derived from celestial phenomena, or unusual occurre…
- augury nounA divination based on the appearance and behaviour of animals.
- autism nounAutism spectrum disorder, a condition characterized by impairment in social communication and interaction, as well as a need or strong pref…
- aversive adjective, nounTending to repel; causing avoidance.
- bad egg noun(UK, US, idiomatic) Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
- bad manners nounThe treatment of other people in an impolite or discourteous way, or incorrect behaviour in public.
- ballistics noun(physics) The science of objects that predominantly fly under the effects of gravity, momentum and atmospheric drag, and dealing with detai…
- beastliness nounThe state of being beastly.
- behaved adjective(in combination) Exhibiting the specified kind of behaviour.
- beneath adverb, prepositionBelow or underneath.
- bestiality nounSexual activity between a human and another animal species.
- biometrics nounThe automated measurement of biological data.
- boorishness nounThe state or characteristic of being a boor or of being boorish; boorish behaviour.
- border on verb(transitive) To share a border with.
- Bose-Einstein statistics noun(quantum mechanics) A particle statistics model that describes the behaviour of collections of particles (bosons) that do not obey the Paul…
- boyish adjectiveLike a stereotypical boy in appearance or demeanor.
- brash adjective, noun, verb, proper noun(of people or behaviour) Overly bold or self-assertive to the point of being insensitive, tactless or impudent; shameless.
- brusqueness nounThe state or quality of being brusque; brusque behaviour.
- bullish adjectiveHaving a muscular physique, built ‘like a bull’.