HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofphotolithographer

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

pho-to-li-tho-gra-pher

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/ˌfoʊtoʊlɪˈθɒɡrəfər/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

000100

Primary stress falls on the second-to-last syllable ('gra'). The first syllable ('pho') has secondary stress, indicated by a slight prominence.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

pho/foʊ/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

to/toʊ/

Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.

li/lɪ/

Open syllable, vowel preceded by a consonant.

tho/θoʊ/

Open syllable, consonant cluster followed by a vowel.

gra/ɡrə/

Open syllable, consonant cluster followed by a vowel.

pher/fər/

Open syllable, vowel preceded by a consonant.

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

photo-(prefix)
+
litho-(root)
+
-grapher(suffix)

Prefix: photo-

Greek origin (phos, photos) meaning 'light'. Prefixes modify the meaning of the root.

Root: litho-

Greek origin (lithos) meaning 'stone'. Forms the core meaning of the word.

Suffix: -grapher

Greek origin (graphō) meaning 'to write'. Indicates a person performing an action.

Meanings & Definitions
noun(grammatical role in sentences)

A person who makes photolithographic plates.

Examples:

"The skilled photolithographer carefully prepared the mask for the semiconductor fabrication process."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

photographerpho-to-gra-pher

Shares the 'photo' prefix and '-grapher' suffix, exhibiting similar syllabic structure and stress patterns.

lithosphereli-tho-sphere

Contains the 'litho' root, demonstrating a comparable syllabic structure and stress pattern.

biographerbi-o-gra-pher

Shares the '-grapher' suffix, resulting in a similar syllabic structure and stress pattern.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Consonant (VC)

Syllables typically end in vowels. When a vowel is followed by a consonant, a syllable break occurs before the consonant.

Consonant-Vowel (CV)

Syllables typically begin with consonants. When a consonant is followed by a vowel, a syllable break occurs before the vowel.

Consonant Cluster-Vowel (CCV)

Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable if followed by a vowel.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

The 'photo' prefix can sometimes be pronounced as a single syllable, but is broken down for detailed syllabification.

The 'litho' sequence, while containing a consonant cluster, doesn't present significant syllabification challenges.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'photolithographer' is divided into six syllables: pho-to-li-tho-gra-pher. It's composed of the Greek-derived prefixes 'photo-' and 'litho-', and the suffix '-grapher'. Primary stress falls on the second-to-last syllable ('gra'). Syllabification follows standard English rules of vowel-consonant and consonant-vowel patterns.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "photolithographer"

1. Pronunciation: The word is pronounced /ˌfoʊtoʊlɪˈθɒɡrəfər/ (General American).

2. Syllable Division: pho-to-li-tho-gra-pher

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: photo- (Greek phos, photos meaning "light"). Function: Indicates a process involving light.
  • Root: litho- (Greek lithos meaning "stone"). Function: Relates to stone or rock.
  • Suffix: -grapher (Greek graphō meaning "to write"). Function: Denotes a person who performs a specific action (writing, in this case, with light on stone).

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the second-to-last syllable: pho-to-li-tho-gra-pher.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ˌfoʊtoʊlɪˈθɒɡrəfər/

6. Edge Case Review: The sequence "litho" can sometimes be pronounced with a shorter vowel /lɪθoʊ/, but the standard pronunciation maintains the distinct vowel sound.

7. Grammatical Role: The word functions solely as a noun. There are no significant syllabification or stress shifts based on grammatical function.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: A person who makes photolithographic plates.
  • Grammatical Category: Noun
  • Synonyms: None readily available; the term is highly specific.
  • Antonyms: N/A
  • Examples: "The skilled photolithographer carefully prepared the mask for the semiconductor fabrication process."

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • photographer: pho-to-gra-pher. Similar structure, stress on the second-to-last syllable. The "litho" element adds complexity.
  • lithosphere: li-tho-sphere. Shares the "litho" root, similar stress pattern.
  • biographer: bi-o-gra-pher. Similar suffix "-grapher", stress pattern. The initial syllable differs, but the overall structure is comparable.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown:

  • pho: /foʊ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Potential exception: diphthong 'ou' could be considered a single unit, but is treated as a sequence for syllabification.
  • to: /toʊ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Potential exception: diphthong 'ou' could be considered a single unit, but is treated as a sequence for syllabification.
  • li: /lɪ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by a consonant.
  • tho: /θoʊ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel.
  • gra: /ɡrə/ - Open syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster followed by a vowel.
  • pher: /fər/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel preceded by a consonant.

Exceptions/Special Cases:

  • The "photo" prefix is often pronounced as a single syllable, but for detailed syllabification, it's broken down into "pho-to".
  • The "litho" sequence, while containing a consonant cluster, is relatively common and doesn't present significant syllabification challenges.

Division Rules Applied:

  • Vowel-Consonant (VC): Syllables typically end in vowels.
  • Consonant-Vowel (CV): Syllables typically begin with consonants.
  • Consonant Cluster-Vowel (CCV): Consonant clusters are generally maintained within a syllable if followed by a vowel.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/9/2025

The hottest word splits in English (US)

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the use of hyphens to join words or parts of words. It plays a crucial role in writing, ensuring clarity and readability.

In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.