counterattacking
Syllables
coun-ter-at-tack-ing
Pronunciation
/ˌkaʊn.tɚ.əˈtæk.ɪŋ/
Stress
20010
Morphemes
counter- + attack + -ing
Counterattacking is a five-syllable compound word (coun-ter-at-tack-ing) with the prefix 'counter-' (against), root 'attack' (assault), and suffix '-ing' (present participle). Primary stress falls on 'tack' with secondary stress on 'coun'. The doubled 't' splits between syllables at the morpheme boundary. IPA: /ˌkaʊn.tɚ.əˈtæk.ɪŋ/.
Definitions
- 1
Present participle of counterattack; engaging in an offensive action in response to an enemy attack
“The army was counterattacking on the eastern front.”
“By counterattacking immediately, they regained the advantage.”
- 1
The act or instance of launching an attack in response to an enemy's offensive
“Their counterattacking proved decisive in the battle.”
Stress pattern
Secondary stress on first syllable 'coun', primary stress on fourth syllable 'tack'; syllables 2, 3, and 5 are unstressed
Syllables
coun — Closed syllable with diphthong; carries secondary stress. ter — Closed syllable with r-colored vowel; unstressed. at — Closed syllable; unstressed, reduced to schwa. tack — Closed syllable; carries primary stress. ing — Closed syllable with velar nasal; unstressed suffix
Word Parts
Similar Words
Morpheme Boundary Rule
Compound word splits at morpheme boundaries: counter|attack|ing
Doubled Consonant Rule
The double 't' in 'attack' splits between syllables: at|tack
Suffix Isolation Rule
The suffix '-ing' forms its own syllable as a grammatical morpheme
Maximal Onset Principle
Applied within morphemes but subordinate to morpheme boundary rule at compound joins
- Compound word respects morpheme boundaries over pure phonotactic syllabification
- The geminate 'tt' at morpheme boundary ensures clear syllable division
- Secondary stress on 'coun-' typical of English compound stress patterns
- British English may use /tə/ instead of /tɚ/ for second syllable without affecting orthographic division
Nearby Words
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