obsequiousnesses
The word 'obsequiousnesses' is divided into six syllables: ob-se-qui-ous-ness-es. It is derived from Latin roots and English suffixes, with primary stress on the fourth syllable ('ous'). The syllabification follows standard vowel-consonant rules, accounting for the 'qu' digraph.
Definitions
- 1
Excessive eagerness to please or obey.
“His obsequiousnesses were off-putting to those who valued genuine interaction.”
“The court was filled with the obsequiousnesses of those seeking favor.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress on the fourth syllable ('ous'), secondary stress on the first syllable ('ob').
Syllables
ob — Open syllable, initial syllable. se — Open syllable. qui — Closed syllable, 'qu' digraph. ous — Closed syllable. ness — Closed syllable. es — Closed syllable, plural marker
Word Parts
Vowel-C Rule
A syllable ends with a vowel sound followed by a consonant sound.
Vowel-C-C Rule
A syllable ends with a vowel sound followed by two consonant sounds.
Digraph Rule
Digraphs (like 'qu') are treated as single consonant sounds for syllabification.
- Length of the word and multiple suffixes create a complex syllabic structure.
- The 'ious' sequence is a common point of variation, but the division here follows the most common pattern.
Nearby Words
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