natural philosophy
Syllables
na-tur-al phi-lo-so-phy
Pronunciation
/ˈnætʃərəl fɪˈlɒsəfi/
Stress
100 010 0
Morphemes
nature/philos/sophia + -al/-y
The word 'natural philosophy' is divided into seven syllables: na-tur-al phi-lo-so-phy. It consists of Latin and Greek roots with suffixes. Primary stress falls on the third syllable of each component word. Syllabification follows standard English rules based on vowel-consonant patterns.
Definitions
- 1
The study of the fundamental principles of the natural world, historically encompassing what is now known as science.
“Before the rise of modern science, natural philosophy was the dominant intellectual pursuit.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the third syllable of 'natural' (/ˈnætʃərəl/) and the third syllable of 'philosophy' (/fɪˈlɒsəfi/).
Syllables
na — Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.. tur — Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant cluster.. al — Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.. phi — Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.. lo — Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.. so — Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.. phy — Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.
Word Parts
Similar Words
Open Syllable
A syllable ending in a vowel sound is considered open.
Closed Syllable
A syllable ending in a consonant sound is considered closed.
- The /tʃ/ sound in 'natural' is a complex onset, but a common occurrence in English.
- Some speakers might pronounce 'natural' with secondary stress on the first syllable.
- Regional accents might affect vowel qualities, but not the core syllabic structure.
Nearby Words
17 wordsTrending in English (US)
Terms getting hyphenated by users right now.