Definition

Verb: 1. To utter with distinct articulation of each syllable: To pronounce words by clearly separating and emphasizing each syllable. 2. To divide into syllables: To analyze or mark the syllabic structure of a word.

Examples of Usage

• Verb (to utter distinctly):
  • The language coach taught the students to syllabize difficult words slowly: "an-ti-dis-es-tab-lish-men-tar-i-an-ism."
  • When learning a new word, it helps to syllabize it first to master its pronunciation.
• Verb (to divide):
  • The dictionary entry shows how to syllabize the word "computer" as com·put·er.
  • The teacher asked the class to syllabize the vocabulary list for their homework.

Advanced Usage

• In Linguistics and Language Teaching: The term is primarily used in academic, linguistic, or pedagogical contexts when discussing pronunciation, phonology, or literacy instruction. It is less common in everyday conversation.
• Process vs. Result: The act of can refer to the process of division or the act of enunciating.

Variants and Related Words

• Syllabify (verb): A direct synonym, meaning to divide or form into syllables.
• Syllabication (noun): The process or result of dividing words into syllables.
• Syllable (noun): A unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonants.

Synonyms

• Articulate (by syllable): To pronounce distinctly.
• Segment (into syllables): To divide into parts.

Related Phrases

• To break down into syllables: A more common, informal way to express the same idea as "to syllabize."
  • Example: Let's break this word down into syllables to spell it correctly.

Verb

1. utter with distinct articulation of each syllable
   • The poet syllabized the verses he read
2. divide into syllables
   • syllabify the words