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Word Analysis

smart-aleckiness

Complete linguistic analysis including syllable division, pronunciation, morphology, and definitions.

5 syllables
16 characters
English (GB)
Enriched
Fig. 1 — . The composing stick. “smart-aleckiness” is set in lead; each gap is a place it may break.
5syllables

smartaleckiness

Linguistic Analysis

Syllables

smart-a-lec-ki-ness

Pronunciation

/smɑːtˈæləkɪnəs/

Stress

00100

Morphemes

smart + aleck + iness

The noun 'smart-aleckiness' is syllabified as smart-a-lec-ki-ness, with stress on 'lec'. It's morphologically composed of 'smart-', 'aleck', and '-iness', following standard English syllabification rules while accounting for the uncommon root 'aleck'.

Definitions

noun
  1. 1

    The quality of being excessively clever, self-assured, and often irritatingly impertinent.

    “His smart-aleckiness was wearing thin with everyone.”

    “She responded to his question with a touch of smart-aleckiness.”

    syn:cheekinessimpudencesassinessarroganceforwardness
    ant:humilitymodestydeferencerespectfulness

Stress pattern

Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('lec'). The first syllable ('smart') is also relatively prominent due to its open syllable structure.

Syllables

5
smart/smɑːt/
a/ə/
lec/lek/
ki/kɪ/
ness/nəs/

smart — Open syllable, stressed.. a — Unstressed schwa.. lec — Closed syllable, unstressed.. ki — Closed syllable, unstressed.. ness — Closed syllable, unstressed.

Word Parts

pre

smart

Old English *smert*, meaning 'painful, sharp'; evolved to mean 'clever, quick-witted'. Adjectival modifier.

root

aleck

Origin uncertain, possibly from a proper name 'Alec'. Noun base.

suf

iness

Old English *-nes*, from *-nesu*, denoting a state or quality. Noun-forming suffix.

Similar Words

hap­pi­nessclev­er­nessquick­ness

Maximize Onsets

Attempt to include as many consonants as possible in the onset of each syllable.

Vowel-Consonant Division

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.

Consonant Cluster Coda

Consonant clusters are generally maintained within the coda of a syllable.

  • The word's length and complex morphology make it prone to variations in pronunciation and syllabification.
  • Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might affect the phonetic realization of the word.
  • The unusual root 'aleck' requires careful consideration during syllabification.
Analysis by gemma3:27b · 6/10/2025

Nearby Words

17 words
smart-aleckiness(current)
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