unselfsufficient
Syllables
un-self-suf-fi-cient
Pronunciation
/ʌnˈsɛlf.səˈfɪʃənt/
Stress
00101
Morphemes
un- + suf- + -cient
The word 'unself-sufficient' is divided into five syllables: un-self-suf-fi-cient. It features a complex morphemic structure with prefixes and suffixes of Latin and Old English origin. Primary stress falls on the 'suf-' syllable, with secondary stress on 'cient'. Syllabification follows standard English rules of vowel-consonant division and the Maximum Onset Principle.
Definitions
- 1
Not having enough resources or qualities to exist or function independently.
“He was an unself-sufficient teenager who still relied on his parents for everything.”
“The small island nation was largely unself-sufficient in terms of food production.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress on the third syllable ('suf-'), secondary stress on the fifth syllable ('cient').
Syllables
un- — Open syllable, unstressed.. self- — Closed syllable, unstressed.. suf- — Open syllable, primary stressed.. fi- — Open syllable, unstressed.. cient — Closed syllable, secondary stressed.
Word Parts
Similar Words
Vowel-Consonant (VC)
Syllables often divide after a vowel followed by a consonant.
Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC)
Syllables often divide before and after consonants between vowels.
Maximum Onset Principle
Consonants are assigned to the following vowel whenever possible.
- Complex morphology with multiple affixes.
- Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.
- Potential for slight pronunciation variations in 'sufficient'.
Nearby Words
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