3 syllables: Add, en, dum. Stress on en.
uh-DEN-duhm
/əˈdɛndəm/
Addendum is pronounced uh-DEN-duhm (/əˈdɛndəm/). It has three syllables (Add-en-dum), with the stress on "en". Addendum (noun) refers to an item added to a document or book, typically to provide extra information or corrections. It is usually appended after the main text. The term implies a supplementary note or addition that expands or clarifies the original content.
nounAddendum (noun) refers to an item added to a document or book, typically to provide extra information or corrections. It is usually appended after the main text. The term implies a supplementary note or addition that expands or clarifies the original content.
- Do not mix up the stress: many say a-DEN-dum instead of the correct aˈDEN-dəm; practice by clapping on the syllables and feeling the beat on the second syllable. - The middle /e/ should be short, not long; avoid turning it into /eɪ/ or /iː/. - Final /dəm/ should be a short /d/ release into a light /ə/ and a clear /m/; avoid a whispered or nasal ending. - Some speakers insert an extra vowel before the final /m/ or borrow from the previous vowel, creating /dəˈnɛdəm/; keep the sequence tight: /əˈden.dəm/.- Regularly practice with minimal pairs like add-endum and add-enda? (not real) to fix the rhythm. (Note: bullets provided for discipline.)
How to Pronounce Addendum
"The contract included an addendum detailing the updated payment terms."
"An addendum was added to the report to address the recent findings."
"Publishers often issue an addendum when new data becomes available."
You say /əˈdɛn.dəm/. The stress is on the second syllable: a-DEN-dum. Start with a schwa + d, then a short E as in “den,” and end with a light, quick /dəm/ where the final /m/ closes softly. Audio reference: you can listen to Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries’ pronunciations and IPA guides for the word.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable (ə-DEN-dum vs a-DEN-dum) and slurring the final syllable into a dull /m/ without a clear vowel onset in /də/ portion. Some speakers mispronounce it as ‘ADD-end-um’ or ‘add-EN-dum’ with misplaced emphasis. Focus on the middle syllable’s clear /ɛn/ and a crisp, light /dəm/ ending. IPA guide: /əˈden.dəm/ helps avoid shifting stress.
US/UK/AU share /əˈden.dəm/ with stress on the second syllable, but vowel quality varies: US tends to a schwa that’s more relaxed; UK often maintains a sharper /ə/ and crisper /d/; AU may have slightly broader vowel sounds and a lighter final /m/. Rhoticity is not a factor here, but syllable timing can feel a touch more clipped in British English and a touch more relaxed in American speech.
Two main challenges: the unstressed initial schwa /ə/ can be easily reduced or unclear; and the middle /ɛn/ must be distinct before the /d/ cluster. Additionally, the final /dəm/ requires a quick, light closure with the lips and a soft /m/ to avoid a heavy, syllabic m. Practicing the three-part sequence helps: a (schwa) + DEN (clear vowel) + dum (soft end).
The word’s only stressed syllable is the second one, which makes the vowel quality in /ˈden/ critical for intelligibility. A misplacement of the stress, or merging /d/ with the following /əm/ can lead to ‘add-EN-dum’ or ‘aden-dum’ reductions. Ensure a clean /d/ release before the final /ə/ (schwa) and /m/. IPA focus: /əˈden.dəm/.
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- US: Slightly more relaxed /ə/ and a flatter /ɪ/ in unstressed syllables; keep final /m/ crisp. - UK: Slightly more clipped consonants; avoid drawing out the /ə/; ensure /d/ is a true alveolar plosive before the /dəm/. - AU: Subtle vowel breadth; may present a broader /ɔ/ in some backgrounds; keep rhoticity neutral, with a clean /əˈden.dəm/. Use IPA guides to calibrate vowel quality and syllable weight.
Addendum comes from Latin addendum, meaning ‘something to be added,’ from the verb addere ‘to add’ (ad- ‘to’ + -dere ‘to give’). The form addendum was used in scholarly and legal contexts in Latin, adopted into English through medieval Latin usage. The plural form addenda is more common in formal documents and is sometimes used as an anglicized plural in English legal writing, though addendums is also encountered. The word’s core concept—an addition to a preexisting text—has remained stable since its earliest uses, with the Latin root consistently referencing the action of adding or adding something to what already exists. First known English appearances date from the 17th century, in legal and academic contexts where amendments or supplementary notes were routinely formalized as addenda to primary texts.
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Words that rhyme with "Addendum"
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