extraterrestrial
Syllables
ex-tra-te-rres-tri-al
Pronunciation
/ˌɛkstrəˈtɛrɪstriəl/
Stress
001000
Morphemes
extra- + terr- + -restrial
The word 'extraterrestrial' is divided into six syllables: ex-tra-te-rres-tri-al. The primary stress falls on the third syllable ('te'). The syllabification follows the Onset-Rime principle, avoiding vowel hiatus and maintaining consonant clusters. The word is morphologically complex, consisting of a Latin-derived prefix, root, and suffixes.
Definitions
- 1
Relating to or originating from outside the Earth.
“The search for extraterrestrial life continues.”
“Extraterrestrial beings are a common theme in science fiction.”
- 1
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the third syllable ('te'). The first and second syllables are unstressed, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth syllables are also unstressed.
Syllables
ex — Open syllable, onset 'ɛk', rime 's'. tra — Open syllable, onset 'tr', rime 'ə'. te — Closed, stressed syllable, onset 't', rime 'ɛ'. rres — Closed syllable, onset 'r', rime 'ɛs'. tri — Open syllable, onset 'tr', rime 'i'. al — Closed syllable, onset 'l', rime 'əl'
Word Parts
Similar Words
Onset-Rime Principle
Each syllable contains an onset (initial consonant(s)) and a rime (vowel and any following consonants).
Vowel Hiatus Avoidance
Consonant clusters are maintained within syllables where possible.
- The word's length and complex morphology can make intuitive syllabification challenging, but the rules consistently apply.
- Regional accents might affect vowel quality, but the core syllabic structure remains consistent.
Nearby Words
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