holierthanthou
The word 'holier-than-thou' is divided into five syllables: ho-li-er-than-thou. The primary stress falls on the first syllable. It's a comparative adjective phrase derived from 'holy' with the suffix '-er', and functions as a descriptor of someone exhibiting a superior attitude.
Definitions
- 1
Having or showing the haughty attitude of someone who believes they are morally superior to others.
“He had a holier-than-thou attitude about his healthy lifestyle.”
“Don't be so holier-than-thou; everyone makes mistakes.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the first syllable ('ho'). Secondary stress falls on 'than'. The remaining syllables are unstressed.
Syllables
ho — Open syllable, primary stress, onset-rime structure.. li — Open syllable, unstressed, vowel followed by glide.. er — Closed syllable, unstressed, vowel followed by consonant.. than — Open syllable, secondary stress, consonant-vowel structure.. thou — Open syllable, unstressed, diphthong followed by no consonant.
Word Parts
Onset-Rime
Syllables are divided based on the onset (initial consonant sound(s)) and rime (vowel and any following consonants).
Vowel-Consonant (VC)
When a vowel is followed by a consonant within a word, a syllable break often occurs.
Consonant-Vowel (CV)
When a consonant is followed by a vowel, a syllable break often occurs.
Diphthong Rule
Diphthongs generally remain within a single syllable.
- The archaic nature of 'thou' might lead to some variation in pronunciation.
- The hyphenated structure requires treating the phrase as a single unit.
Nearby Words
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