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rhotic

American  
[roh-tik] / ˈroʊ tɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a dialect of English in which the r is pronounced at the end of a syllable or before a consonant.

    Midwestern American English is rhotic, while Southern British English is not.

  2. of, relating to, or being an r- like sound.


noun

  1. a rhotic sound.

rhotic British  
/ ˈrəʊtɪk /

adjective

  1. phonetics denoting or speaking a dialect of English in which postvocalic r s are pronounced

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of rhotic

rhot- ( see rhotacism) + -ic


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.

See Examples For:

Irish English is also rhotic, meaning the “r” is overpronounced.

From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2023

Many, mainly regional, differences in pronunciation are often marked by rhotic and non-rhotic accents.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 21, 2021

As in rhotic dialects, /r/ sounds are pronounced, even in words that don’t contain the letter r: wash, for example,

From Textbooks ● Dec. 21, 2021

While many areas in England held on to their rhotic origins, received pronunciation came to be seen as the ideal English accent; even spreading into Wales and Scotland.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 24, 2017

Last week a speech pathologist at Marquette University diagnosed whom with "rhotic replacement disorder"?

From Slate ● Mar. 21, 2014

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