2 syllables: A, cute. Stress on cute.
uh-KYOOT
/əˈkjut/
Acute is pronounced uh-KYOOT (/əˈkjut/). It has two syllables (A-cute), with the stress on "cute". Acute is an adjective describing something severe or intense, or a corner or angle less than 90 degrees. It can relate to perception or insight when a person has a keen, sharp understanding. In medical contexts, it denotes a sudden onset or short duration but high intensity of symptoms.
adjectiveAcute is an adjective describing something severe or intense, or a corner or angle less than 90 degrees. It can relate to perception or insight when a person has a keen, sharp understanding. In medical contexts, it denotes a sudden onset or short duration but high intensity of symptoms.
"The patient reported acute pain that required immediate attention."
"She paid acute attention to every detail of the contract."
"An acute angle is less than 90 degrees in geometry."
Pronounce as ə-KYOOT in US/UK/AU. The first syllable is a schwa, unstressed, followed by a stressed 'kyoot' containing the /kj/ cluster and long /uː/ vowel. IPA: US/UK/AU /əˈkjuːt/. Start with a soft, neutral initial, then place the tongue high and back for the /kj/ blend and round the lips for the /uː/ vowel. You’ll want a tight, quick glide from /k/ to /j/ to land on the long /uː/ before the final /t/.
Common mistakes: 1) Slurring the /kj/ cluster into /k/ or /t/ without the /j/ glide, making it sound like 'a-cut.' 2) Mispronouncing the /juː/ as a short /u/ or /ju/ with a reduced vowel, leading to ‘uh-kot.’ 3) Overpronouncing the first syllable, treating it as 'ah-kyoot.' Correction: maintain the /kj/ sequence with a crisp glide into /uː/ and keep the second syllable unstressed with a clear /t/ at the end.
Differences are minor but perceptible: US/UK/AU share /əˈkjuːt/. In rhotic US, the /r/ is not present here; the stress stays on the second syllable. UK and AU generally keep the /juː/ as a single glide, with slightly crisper /t/. Some Australian speakers may exhibit a shorter /uː/ or vowel height variation, while UK speakers might have a slightly less intense /j/ transition. Overall, the core /əˈkjuːt/ remains consistent across varieties.
The challenge lies in the /kj/ cluster and the long /uː/ diphthong that follows, which demands a precise tongue position and lip rounding. Learners often shorten /uː/ or insert extra syllables, turning it into ‘a-cute’ with two equal syllables. The initial weak schwa combined with a strong, rapid glide into /uː/ requires controlled voicing and timing. Also, final /t/ must be crisp to avoid sounding like 'acute-tion'.”,
A distinctive feature is the tight, immediate realization of the /kj/ sequence as a single swift movement from the tongue blade to produce /kj/ before transitioning into the high back vowel /uː/. This is not just a vowel shift but a consonant-vowel glide combination that defines the word’s characteristic crispness. Ensuring the /k/ release is brief and the /j/ is audible without overemphasis captures the true sound of acute.
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The word acute comes from Latin acutus, past participle of acere ‘to sharpen,’ from ac- ‘toward, near’ + acuere ‘to sharpen, whet.’ In Latin, acutus described things literally sharpened (a blade) and figuratively keen or acute in perception. The sense of ‘sharp in intellect or perception’ appears in late Latin and enters English in the 14th–15th centuries, initially in medical and philosophical contexts to describe acute symptoms, acute angles, or acute illness. Over time, the range broadened to include acute observations, acute awareness, and acute mind, while retaining core connotations of sharpness, immediacy, and intensity. The pronunciation and spelling stabilized in Modern English, with the main stress on the first syllable. The medical sense of abrupt onset—acute pain, acute crisis—emerged in the medical lexicon during the 17th–18th centuries as clinical terminology expanded to describe symptom timing and severity. Today, acute is a versatile adjective used in mathematics, medicine, perception, and everyday description, continuing to convey sharpness and immediacy across contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Acute"
-oot sounds
-uit sounds
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