ˈsɪləbl n. & v. --n. 1 a
unit of
pronunciation uttered
without interruption, forming
the whole or a
part of a
word and usu. having
one vowel sound often with a
consonant or consonants
before or
after:
there are
two syllables in
water and
three in
inferno. 2 a
character or characters representing a syllable. 3 (usu. with neg.) the
least amount of
speech or
writing (did
not utter a syllable). --v.tr.
pronounce by syllables;
articulate distinctly. øin words of one syllable expressed plainly or bluntly. øøsyllabled adj. (also in comb.). [ME f. AF sillable f. OF sillabe f. L syllaba f. Gk sullabe (as
SYN-, lambano take)]