5 syllables: Bea, ti, fi, ca, tion. Stress on ca.
bee-tif-ik-AY-shuhn
/ˌbiːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
Beatification is pronounced bee-tif-ik-AY-shuhn (/ˌbiːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/). It has five syllables (Bea-ti-fi-ca-tion), with the stress on "ca". Beatification is the act or process of declaring someone beatified, i.e., worthy of reverent commemorations in certain Christian traditions. It is a formal ecclesiastical declaration that precedes canonization, recognizing a person’s holy virtues and miracles. The term combines theological/legal nuance with ceremonial significance, often used in religious discourse and documentation.
nounBeatification is the act or process of declaring someone beatified, i.e., worthy of reverent commemorations in certain Christian traditions. It is a formal ecclesiastical declaration that precedes canonization, recognizing a person’s holy virtues and miracles. The term combines theological/legal nuance with ceremonial significance, often used in religious discourse and documentation.
How to Pronounce Beatification
"The pope granted beatification to the beloved missionary, recognizing her lifelong service."
"Beatification is a step toward sainthood in several Catholic traditions, though not the final canonization."
"Scholars debated the historical context of the saint’s beatification in the 18th century."
Beatification is pronounced bi-uh-FIH-kuh-SAY-shun, with primary stress on the third syllable. IPA: US biːˌæ.tə.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən; UK biːˌæ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən; AU biːˌæ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən. Notice the four-syllable rhythm: beat-i-fi-ca-tion, with stress on the -ka-tion ending in most accents.
Common errors include misplacing the stress or reducing the central syllable: you may say bi-EE-uh-fi-KEY-shun or bi-uh-FOO-shun. Correct it by keeping the main stress on the fourth syllable: -fi-CA-tion (keɪ-ʃən). Another pitfall is devoicing or slurring the -tion ending; keep it as -ʃən, not -shn or -tion with extra vowel. Practice the pattern bi-uh-tuh-FIH-kuh-KEY-shun to align with standard pronunciation.
US English tends to reduce unstressed vowels slightly and maintain clear -keɪ- for the -cation ending, while UK English preserves a bit more vowel height in -fi- and often uses a slightly crisper final -ʃən. Australian English follows similar rhotic tendencies to US but with less vowel reduction; the -kei- in the stressed syllable remains prominent. Overall: US biːˌæ.tə.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən, UK biːˌæ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən, AU biːˌæ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən.
The difficulty sits in three areas: its length (five syllables) and the four-part stress, the -fi- versus -tif- vs -fi- in the middle, and the -ka-tion ending where -tion is pronounced as -ʃən. The combination bi-uh- + fɪ + keɪ + ʃən can tempt over-emphasis or misplacement of stress. Focus on a steady beat: bi-uh-tuh-FIH-kuh-KEY-shun, placing primary stress on -KEY- to mimic the standard four-beat rhythm.
A unique aspect is the mid syllable cluster -tif- vs -fi- in the stem: the sequence typically uses -tɪf- in non-stressive positions and -fi- in stressed onset before -keɪ. This creates an audible distinction between the prefix or root and the suffix. Visualize the word as beat-i-fi-ca-tion with the fourth syllable carrying the strongest stress, ensuring a crisp -keɪ-ɪən ending.
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Beatification derives from Late Latin beatificatio, from Latin beatificus ‘making blessed,’ from beatus ‘blessed’ + -ficare ‘to make’ (related to -fy). The verb form beatify exists in English, but beatification as a noun emerged in ecclesiastical Latin and entered English through religious texts and Vatican documents. The term reflects Catholic Church processes where declarations of sanctity progress from beatification to canonization. Its usage expanded in ecclesiastical scholarship and journalism as formal stages in saintly recognition. First appearances in English date to early modern theological writings, with subsequent standardization in Catholic procedural language. The word encapsulates a legal-liturgy framework: a formal affirmation of sanctity that acknowledges exemplary virtue and miraculous attribution within a religious legal structure, and it remains a precise term within Catholic canon law and ceremonial contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Beatification"
-ion sounds
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