syllable
A syllable is a unit of sound in a word that contains one vowel sound. It's usually a short or long beat when we say the word.
When we talk about words and how they sound, people often refer to them as having different numbers of syllables. For example, "cat" has only one syllable, while "banana" has three. If you're learning English, it can be helpful to break down words into their individual syllables because it makes reading and pronunciation easier. Think about a word like "information". When we say the word out loud, we naturally pause between the two syllables: in- for-ma-tion. That's one way we use the concept of syllables when speaking English.
How common is "syllable"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
A unit of human speech that is interpreted by the listener as a single sound, although syllables usually consist of one or more vowel sounds, either alone or combined with the sound of one or more consonants; a word consists of one or more syllables.
verb
To utter in syllables.
Real examples of "syllable" in context
