HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofclean-complexioned

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

cle-an com-plex-ioned

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/kliːn kɑːmpleksʃənd/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

001000

Primary stress falls on the third syllable, 'plex'. The stress pattern is 001000, indicating unstressed-unstressed-stressed-unstressed-unstressed-unstressed.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

cle/kliː/

Open syllable, vowel followed by liquid consonant.

an/æn/

Open syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant.

com/kɑːm/

Open syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant.

plex/pleks/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.

ion/ɪən/

Open syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant.

ed/ənd/

Closed syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

clean-(prefix)
+
complex(root)
+
-ioned(suffix)

Prefix: clean-

Old English *clǣne* - meaning pure, bright, or free from dirt. Adjectival modifier.

Root: complex

Latin *complexus* - meaning entwined, composed of parts. Core meaning relating to composition or intricacy.

Suffix: -ioned

English -ed, derived from Old French -ion, ultimately from Latin -ionem. Forms a past participle, often used adjectivally.

Meanings & Definitions
adjective(grammatical role in sentences)

Having a clear and healthy skin tone; possessing a pleasingly pure and intricate appearance.

Examples:

"The clean-complexioned model graced the cover of the magazine."

"She had a clean-complexioned face that radiated youth."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

understandun-der-stand

Similar structure with a prefix and root.

overexcitedo-ver-ex-ci-ted

Similar structure with a prefix and root.

misunderstandmis-un-der-stand

Similar structure with a prefix and root.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Coda Rule

Syllables generally end in vowels unless blocked by a consonant cluster.

Maximizing Onsets

Consonant clusters are generally maintained within the syllable if possible, creating a larger onset.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

The hyphenated nature of the word doesn't affect the syllabification process.

Regional variations in pronunciation might exist, but they wouldn't fundamentally alter the syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

Clean-complexioned is a compound adjective syllabified as cle-an com-plex-ioned, with stress on 'plex'. It follows standard English syllabification rules and describes a clear, healthy skin tone.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "clean-complexioned"

1. Pronunciation: The word "clean-complexioned" is pronounced as /kliːn kɑːmpleksʃənd/.

2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of maximizing onsets, is as follows: cle-an com-plex-ioned.

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • clean-: Prefix (Old English clǣne - meaning pure, bright, or free from dirt). Morphological function: Adjectival modifier.
  • complex: Root (Latin complexus - meaning entwined, composed of parts). Morphological function: Core meaning relating to composition or intricacy.
  • -ioned: Suffix (English -ed, derived from Old French -ion, ultimately from Latin -ionem). Morphological function: Forms a past participle, often used adjectivally.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the third syllable: com-plex-ioned.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /kliːn kɑːmpleksʃənd/

6. Edge Case Review: The combination of "complexioned" presents a potential challenge due to the consonant cluster /ksʃ/. However, this is a common occurrence in English and doesn't disrupt standard syllabification.

7. Grammatical Role: "Clean-complexioned" functions primarily as an adjective. The syllabification remains consistent regardless of its use in a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: Having a clear and healthy skin tone; possessing a pleasingly pure and intricate appearance.
  • Grammatical Category: Adjective
  • Synonyms: fair-skinned, healthy-looking, radiant, unblemished
  • Antonyms: blemished, disfigured, unhealthy-looking
  • Examples: "The clean-complexioned model graced the cover of the magazine." "She had a clean-complexioned face that radiated youth."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "understand": un-der-stand. Similar structure with a prefix and root. Stress on the final syllable.
  • "overexcited": o-ver-ex-ci-ted. Similar structure with a prefix and root. Stress on the third syllable.
  • "misunderstand": mis-un-der-stand. Similar structure with a prefix and root. Stress on the final syllable.

The differences in stress placement are due to the varying lengths and phonetic qualities of the root and suffix combinations. "Clean-complexioned" has a longer root and a less prominent suffix, leading to stress on the root syllable.

Detailed Syllable Analysis:

Syllable IPA Transcription Description Rule Applied Exceptions/Special Cases
cle /kliː/ Open syllable, vowel followed by liquid consonant. Vowel-Coda Rule: Syllables end in vowels unless blocked by a consonant cluster. None
an /æn/ Open syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant. Vowel-Coda Rule None
com /kɑːm/ Open syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant. Vowel-Coda Rule None
plex /pleks/ Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster. Maximizing Onsets: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within the syllable if possible. The /ks/ cluster is common and doesn't pose a division issue.
ion /ɪən/ Open syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant. Vowel-Coda Rule None
ed /ənd/ Closed syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant. Maximizing Onsets: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within the syllable if possible. None

Division Rules Applied:

  1. Vowel-Coda Rule: Syllables generally end in vowels unless blocked by a consonant cluster.
  2. Maximizing Onsets: Consonant clusters are generally maintained within the syllable if possible, creating a larger onset.

Special Considerations:

  • The hyphenated nature of the word doesn't affect the syllabification process, as it's treated as a single lexical item.
  • Regional variations in pronunciation (e.g., different vowel qualities) might exist, but they wouldn't fundamentally alter the syllable division.

Short Analysis:

"Clean-complexioned" is a compound adjective derived from Old English and Latin roots. It is syllabified as cle-an com-plex-ioned, with primary stress on "plex". The syllabification follows standard English rules of maximizing onsets and adhering to the vowel-coda rule. The word describes a clear and healthy skin tone and is commonly used in descriptive contexts.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/7/2025

The hottest word splits in English (US)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.