4 syllables: ad, mis, si, ble. Stress on mis.
uhd-MIS-uh-buhl
/əˈdmɪsəbəl/
admissible is pronounced uhd-MIS-uh-buhl (/əˈdmɪsəbəl/). It has four syllables (ad-mis-si-ble), with the stress on "mis". Admissible describes something that is allowed or permissible, especially within a legal, formal, or procedural context. It implies compliance with rules or standards that permit a particular action, evidence, or argument to be accepted. The term is often used in law, formal debate, and official procedures.
Admissible describes something that is allowed or permissible, especially within a legal, formal, or procedural context. It implies compliance with rules or standards that permit a particular action, evidence, or argument to be accepted. The term is often used in law, formal debate, and official procedures.
- You may misplace the stress, saying ad-MIS-si-ble; ensure the main emphasis is on MIS. - The /d/ and /m/ can blur into a single sound; practice separating them with a tiny pause or a clearly released /d/ before the /m/. - The final /-ible/ often becomes /-ɪbəl/ or /-ibl/; aim for /-əbl/ with a soft schwa before the /bl/ to maintain a natural cadence.
"The judge ruled that the evidence was admissible in court."
"Only admissible questions will be considered during the hearing."
"The contract sets forth all admissible methods for data collection."
Pronounce as ədˈmɪsəbl in US/UK closely related to /æ/ vs /ə/ in the first syllable depending on stress. The primary stress falls on MIS: /ˈmɪs/ in the typical pattern ad-MIS-si-ble. IPA for US: əˈdˌmɪsəbl or əˈd.mɪ.sə.bəl; for UK: ˌædˈmɪsəbl. In fast speech, the initial syllable can be reduced to a schwa, but the stressed MIS must remain clear. Tip: keep the /d/ firmly released and avoid linking to the /m/.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying ad-MIS-SI-ble with incorrect emphasis; 2) Dropping the second syllable vowel, saying ad-MIS-sibl with a reduced middle vowel; 3) Merging /d/ and /m/ into a single burst, producing a muddied /dm/ cluster. Correction: clearly articulate the /d/ before /m/ with a light stop, then produce the /m/ as a separate bilabial nasal. Maintain the /ˈmɪs/ nucleus with a short, crisp vowel and keep final /əbl/ or /əbl/ as a light schwa + /bl/ cluster.
In US, the primary stress tends to be on MIS with a fuller /ɪ/ and a pronounced /d/ before /m/; final /əbl/ is quick, often /əbl/ or /əbəl/. UK often retains a slightly tighter vowel in MIS and a clear /ə/ in the final syllable; the /t/ is absent, keeping /d/ + /m/ cluster crisp. Australian tends to be similar to US but with a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a sometimes weaker /ɪ/ in MIS. Across all accents, the primary contrast is stress placement and vowel quality in MIS and the speed of the final -ble.
Key challenges: the unusual consonant cluster /dm/ after the stressed /ɪ/ can cause a mis-sequencing of sounds. The transition from /d/ to /m/ requires precise articulation; the /ɪ/ in MIS must be distinct from the adjacent vowels; finally, the final /əbl/ can become a syllabic or reduced -able ending. Tip: isolate /d/ + /m/ with a small pause or a deliberate release, keep /ɪ/ crisp, and practice the final /əbl/ as a quick but separate sequence.
A unique nuance is that the second syllable MIS carries the main stress and should be clearly separated from the surrounding vowels. Avoid turning /d/ into a flap or a soft stop; you want a clean /d/ followed by a crisp /m/. The ending can be reduced in fast speech to /bl/ or /bə/, but trained speakers keep a light /ə/ before /bl/ to avoid abrupt clipping.
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- In US you’ll hear a more rhotic, slightly fuller /ɪ/ vowel in MIS; UK tends to a tighter /ɪ/ and crisper ending; AU may have a slightly more centralized vowel in MIS and a more dropped final syllable. Use IPA cues: US /əˈdˌmɪsəbl/, UK /ˌædˈmɪsəbl/, AU /ˌædˈmɪsəbl/. Focus on making MIS distinct and the final -ble light and quick.
Admissible comes from the Latin admissibilis, from admittere meaning to admit, allow, or receive. The root admit- traces to Latin admittere (ad- + mittere, ‘to send toward’) with sense development from ‘to permit entry’ to ‘capable of being allowed.’ The suffix -ibilis signals capability or worthiness. The English term surfaced in the 15th–16th centuries, retaining a legal and procedural sense of something that may be admitted as evidence or accepted under established rules. Over time, its use broadened from strictly legal contexts to general formal permitability in policies, arguments, and standards, while preserving the core notion of conformity to criteria that authorize acceptance. In modern usage, admissible generally indicates compliance with prescribed criteria, while explicitly excluding items that fail those criteria (i.e., inadmissible).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "admissible" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "admissible"
-ble sounds
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