3 syllables: ar, a, bic. Stress on ar.
AR-uh-bik
/ˈæɹəbɪk/
arabic is pronounced AR-uh-bik (/ˈæɹəbɪk/). It has three syllables (ar-a-bic), with the stress on "ar". Arabic is a multisyllabic adjective and noun referring to the language of the Arab world as well as to people or things pertaining to Arabia. In English, it is most often used as an adjective (Arabic language, Arabic script) but can also function as a demonym (an Arabic speaker). Pronunciation centers on a short first syllable with a clear, unreduced vowel and a final /ɪk/ or /ɪk/ cluster depending on usage.
Arabic is a multisyllabic adjective and noun referring to the language of the Arab world as well as to people or things pertaining to Arabia. In English, it is most often used as an adjective (Arabic language, Arabic script) but can also function as a demonym (an Arabic speaker). Pronunciation centers on a short first syllable with a clear, unreduced vowel and a final /ɪk/ or /ɪk/ cluster depending on usage.
"She studies Arabic to read classical poetry."
"The Arabic script has distinctive calligraphic features."
"An Arabic-speaking classroom welcomed learners from multiple countries."
You say /ˌærəˈbɪk/. The second syllable carries primary stress: a-ra-BIC. Begin with a short, lax /æ/ as in “cat,” then a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, and end with a hard /bɪk/ group where the /ɪ/ is a short vowel and the final /k/ is a crisp stop. Keep the tongue relaxed on the first syllable and lift quickly into the-tensed last syllable. IPA reminder: /ˌærəˈbɪk/ with secondary stress on the first syllable in slower speech isn’t typical; aim for the strong second-syllable emphasis in natural usage.
Common errors include misplacing stress (placing it on the first syllable, /ˈærəbɪk/), and mispronouncing the second syllable as /ˈbɪk/ with a reduced vowel or silent consonant. Another frequent issue is a trailing /ɪk/ that softens to /ɪ/ or /ɪk/ becomes /iːk/ instead of crisp /ɪk/. To correct: keep the /ˈbɪk/ cluster clear, ensure the /ə/ in the middle remains unstressed, and articulate a firm /k/ at the end. Practice with words that place emphasis on the final content word to lock in the correct rhythm.
In US/UK/AU, the primary stress remains on the second syllable: /ˌærəˈbɪk/. Vowel quality shifts slightly: US may favor a slightly longer /æ/ in the first vowel, UK often maintains a more clipped /ˈærə/ with less vowel length difference, and AU tends toward a more centralized /ə/ in the middle syllable. The final /k/ is a voiceless stop in all, but Australians may add a more aspirated touch before it. Across these accents, the /r/ is rhotic in US and Australian accents but often non-rhotic or lightly pronounced in some UK varieties; nevertheless, in this word, the r is typically pronounced in US/AK-inclusive dialects.
The difficulty lies in the monosyllabic end /bɪk/ cluster and maintaining a crisp, unreduced middle vowel /ə/ while preserving a clear, voiced /r/ (in rhotic accents) or a softer /ɹ/ effect. Learners often over-simplify the middle schwa or push the stress to the first syllable, creating /ˈærəbɪk/. Also, many learners mispronounce the final /k/ as a soft stop or avoid the unaspirated /k/ blend. To master: practice the exact tri-syllabic rhythm with steady low-mid vowel in the middle, and rehearse the final consonant with tenacious plosive release.
A useful tip: rehearse with a minimal pair set contrasting /ˌærəˈbɪk/ against /ˌærəˈbeɪk/ to feel the subtle difference in last syllable vowel height and consonant closure. Focus on the heavy second syllable; keep the jaw relaxed in the first; the middle /ə/ should not over-accentuate, and the final /k/ should have a crisp release rather than a glottal stop. Recording yourself helps reveal subtle misplacements, and gentle lip tension will improve the /ɪ/ timing.
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Arabic derives from the Medieval Latin term Arabicus, from the Ancient Greek Ἀραβικός (Arabikos), itself from the root ʿarabīyah meaning ‘Arab’. The language name traces to the ethnonym ʿarab (Arab) used in pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabia, possibly linked to a broader semantic field of ‘desert dweller’ or ‘nomad’ in some Semitic languages. In English, “Arabic” began to appear in the 16th to 17th centuries as a designation for both the language and things related to Arabia. Over time, it extended to the script (Arabic script) and literary traditions (Arabic literature). The term’s form is influenced by Latinized and Greek renderings of Semitic ethnonyms, with the suffix -ic signifying “of or relating to.” The first known English usage likely appears in early grammars and travel texts describing the languages of the Near East as Western scholars encountered Muslim and Arab-speaking regions during the Renaissance. The word’s meaning expanded as global contact increased, embedding “Arabic” in modern linguistic, cultural, and geopolitical discourse. Today it encompasses Modern Standard Arabic, regional dialects, and cultural references associated with Arab identity.
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Words that rhyme with "arabic"
-ick sounds
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