onagainoffagain
The word 'on-again-off-again' is a compound adjective syllabified as on-a-gain-off-a-gain, with primary stress on the first syllable of each 'on-again' and 'off-again' unit. It's composed of the prefixes 'on' and 'off', and the root 'gain'. The hyphenated structure dictates the syllable division.
Definitions
- 1
Characterized by repeated starting and stopping; intermittent.
“Their relationship was on-again-off-again for years.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the first syllable of each 'on-again' and 'off-again' unit. The pattern is alternating unstressed-stressed.
Syllables
on — Open syllable, unstressed.. a-gain — Open syllable, stressed.. off — Open syllable, unstressed.. a-gain — Open syllable, stressed.
Similar Words
Compound Word Syllabification
Dividing the word between its constituent parts, respecting the hyphenated structure.
Onset-Rime
Forming syllables around an onset (initial consonant sound) and a rime (vowel and any following consonants).
- Regional variations in the pronunciation of 'off' do not affect syllabification.
- The hyphenated structure is crucial for accurate syllabification.
Nearby Words
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