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 “lumination”
- illumination nounThe act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated.
- atmosphere noun, proper nounThe gases surrounding the Earth or any astronomical body.
- backlighting nounThe illumination of a photographic subject from the rear, causing edges to glow while other areas remain in shadow.
- brownout noun(electricity) A period of low alternating current line voltage, causing a reduction in illumination.
- daylight noun, verbThe natural light that is ambient in daytime, being mostly sunlight (both direct and indirect, on either sunny days or cloudy days).
- electric light nounArtificial light using electricity as a source of illumination.
- flashbulb noun(historical, photography) A glass bulb that made a single bright flash for illumination during a photograph.
- floodlight noun, verbA projector of a bright beam of light for use in theatres and studios; a flood
- gas bracket noun(historical) A usually curved pipe projecting from the wall of a room, used for illumination by gas.
- illume verb, noun(archaic, usually poetic or figurative) To throw or spread light upon; to make light or bright.
- illuminating adjectiveProviding illumination or light.
- incubation nounSitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process.
- interreflection nounThe illumination of an object by reflected light from other objects that are not light sources.
- irradiation noun(uncountable) a process of sterilization whereby radiation is passed through a bag containing food, utensils, etc., to sterilize the conten…
- lamp noun, verb, proper nounA device that generates light, heat, or other electromagnetic radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.
- light noun, verb, adjective, adverb, proper noun(physics, uncountable) Electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye (about 400–750 nanometers): visible light.
- light source nounA source of illumination.
- lighting nounThe equipment used to provide illumination; the illumination so provided.
- lightsomeness noun(archaic) The state or quality of being lightsome (luminous); luminosity; illumination, brightness.
- luminary nounOne who is an inspiration to others; one who has achieved success in one's chosen field; a leading light.
- lux noun, verb, proper nounIn the International System of Units, the derived unit of illuminance or illumination; one lumen per square metre. Symbol: lx
- microphotometer noun(physics) Any of various photometers used either to measure the variation of densities over small areas, or to measure accurately small cha…
- night-sight nounthe ability to see in reduced illumination (as in moonlight)
- optical disc noun(computer hardware) A modern data storage medium consisting of a flat disc read mechanically by illumination with laser light, including th…
- phase noun, verb, proper nounA distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time.
- twilight noun, adjective, verbThe soft light in the sky seen before the rising and (especially) after the setting of the sun, occasioned by the illumination of the earth…
- ultramicroscope nouna microscope that uses bright illumination against a black background to view small particles
- very light noun, adjectiveA type of microlight, an aircraft type similar to ultralight or sailplane.