rhotic

[roh-tik]

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

/ ˈrəʊtɪk, rəʊˈtɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

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

Other Word Forms

• rhoticity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhotic¹

rhot- ( rhotacism ) + -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhotic¹

from Greek rho , the letter r

Example Sentences

Researchers also said that while rhotic Blackburn and East Lancashire speakers may be in the minority in England, they were "in the majority across the English-speaking world", as North American, Scottish and Irish speakers also use that pronunciation, "as do many second language learners of English".

Read more on BBC

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

Read more on New York Times

Love his humour, and consonants rhotic: There is nothing as firm as his R’s.

Read more on Washington Post

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.

Read more on The Guardian

Voters don’t cast their ballots based on which candidates best trill the rhotic consonants in foreign leaders’ names.

Read more on Slate