syllable
noun
an uninterrupted segment of speech consisting of a vowel sound, a diphthong, or a syllabic consonant, with or without preceding or following consonant sounds.
syllables
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pluralof syllable.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof syllable (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
syllablenounan uninterrupted segment of speech consisting of a vowel sound, a diphthong, or a syllabic consonant, with or without preceding or following consonant sounds.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—On a weekday morning this summer, Amy Cox instructed a small group of third-graders to rub their palms together, then clap out syllables for the words “apple,” “turtle” and “table.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
They identified 100 distinct "behavioral syllables," which are short, repeating actions that form the basic elements of how the fish move and rest.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 26, 2026
News channel YTN lavished praise on Kang's "heartfelt message to Korea", referring to the movie by its affectionate shorthand "Kedehun", a combination of the title's first three syllables.
From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026
The technique is used in South Indian Carnatic - or classical - music, and involves repeating certain syllables and phrases to create a drum-like sound.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026
He looked at the subway map and announced that at some point during their stay, he'd maybe take her to the Louvre, which he pronounced as having two distinct syllables.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
