attentionseeking
The word 'attention-seeking' is divided into five syllables: at-ten-tion-seek-ing. It's a compound adjective formed from 'attention' and 'seeking', with primary stress on the second syllable of each component. The syllabification follows vowel and consonant cluster rules, typical of US English.
Definitions
- 1
Characterized by a desire to be noticed by others; behaving in a way intended to attract attention.
“The child's attention-seeking behavior was a cry for help.”
“She was accused of attention-seeking with her extravagant outfits.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the second syllable of 'attention' (/ˈtɛnʃən/) and the second syllable of 'seeking' (/siːkɪŋ/). The first syllable of 'attention' is unstressed.
Syllables
at — Open syllable, initial syllable.. ten — Open syllable, contains the root.. tion — Closed syllable, contains the nominalizing suffix.. seek — Open syllable, contains the root.. ing — Closed syllable, contains the progressive suffix.
Word Parts
Similar Words
Vowel Rule
Syllables are generally built around vowel sounds.
Consonant Cluster Rule
Consonant clusters are split to avoid creating syllables without vowels.
Compound Word Rule
Compound words are divided between the constituent words.
- The compound nature of the word influences stress distribution.
- The 'at-' prefix is often reduced to a schwa /ə/.
Nearby Words
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