2 syllables: blue, print. Stress on blue.
BLOO-print
/ˈbluˌpɹɪnt/
blueprint is pronounced BLOO-print (/ˈbluˌpɹɪnt/). It has two syllables (blue-print), with the stress on "blue". A plan or drawing that shows how something is to be built or arranged, including dimensions and specifications. In business and design contexts, it guides construction or implementation. The term combines a base word for color, metaphorically deep, with an abstract plan, and is used widely in engineering, architecture, and product development.
A plan or drawing that shows how something is to be built or arranged, including dimensions and specifications. In business and design contexts, it guides construction or implementation. The term combines a base word for color, metaphorically deep, with an abstract plan, and is used widely in engineering, architecture, and product development.
" Architects review the blueprint before laying the foundation."
" We compared two blueprints to decide which layout would save space."
" The team followed the blueprint to ensure the software architecture stayed consistent."
- Pronounce as two syllables: BLUE-print. IPA: US /ˈbluˌprɪnt/, UK /ˈbluːˌprɪnt/, AU /ˈbluːˌprɪnt/. Start with a stressed /bluː/ or /bluˌ/ sound produced with rounded lips; then a clear /prɪnt/ with a crisp /p/ and final /t/. In careful speech, keep the /l/ light and the /uː/ long; in connected speech the /ˈblu/ may compress slightly but the /prɪnt/ remains distinct. Audio reference: try listening to pronunciation clips on Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries or Forvo for native samples.
- Common errors: flattening the vowel to a short /u/ instead of /uː/ in the first syllable, leading to /ˈbluɪnt/ or /ˈblʊɪnt/. - Another error: mispronouncing the second syllable as /ˈbrɪnt/ with a strong /b/ or dropping the /p/, making /ˈbluˌrɪnt/. - Corrections: keep the first syllable as /bluː/ (US) or /bluː/; release the /p/ clearly before the final /t/. Ensure the /l/ is light and the /n/ is syllabic after /ɪ/; practice the /nt/ cluster crisply.
- US: /ˈbluˌprɪnt/, with a prominent /uː/ and a rhotic influence only after vowels in connected speech; the /t/ is a clear voiceless stop. - UK: /ˈbluːprɪnt/, typically longer /uː/, non-rhotic after vowels, but the /r/ is not pronounced unless linked to a following vowel. - AU: /ˈbluːˌprɪnt/, similar to UK but with a more pronounced vowel length and a tendency for flatter intonation; the final /t/ can be a light aspirated stop.
- It combines a long front vowel in the first syllable with a hard consonant cluster /ˌprɪnt/ that sits close to the vowel boundary; many speakers insert an extra vowel sound or reduce the /uː/ to /ʊ/ under fast speech. - The /l/ can blur with /uː/ and the /t/ sound can be skipped in rapid articulation; practice keeps the segment boundaries distinct.
- Blueprint has no silent letters; the primary challenge is managing the weak second syllable onset after the stressed first syllable and the /t/ closure. Under rapid speech, speakers may reduce to /bluːprɪnt/ with a light /t/; keep the /t/ audible to maintain word clarity and avoid confusion with similar words like bloodprint.
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- US: emphasize /bluː/ with a tense lip rounding; keep /ɪ/ in /prɪnt/ short and crisp. - UK: slightly longer /uː/ and smoother /ˌprɪnt/ transition; non-rhotic linking can alter the perception of /r/ in connected speech. - AU: similar to UK but with more open vowels and flatter intonation, ensure /t/ release is audible in careful speech. IPA references: US /ˈbluˌprɪnt/, UK /ˈbluːˌprɪnt/, AU /ˈbluːˌprɪnt/.
Blueprint originated in the 19th century, originally referring to a method used to reproduce technical drawings with blue paper and white lines. The term combines the color blue with a “print” or “imprint” process, historically achieved through white lines on a blue background via a light-sensitive bathotype or cyanotype method. Early engineers and architects used blueprints to produce copies of plans, leveraging a chemical process that inked the raised lines to produce a legible, durable drawing. Over time, the word broadened beyond architecture to describe any detailed plan or program, especially in business or strategic contexts. The first known uses appeared in 08-1831–1832 technical journals in the United Kingdom and United States, where cyanotype-based reproductions were common in shipbuilding and civil engineering. Today, “blueprint” has become a metaphorical term for a precise, replicable plan, or a model to be followed in any field. The shift from a physical reproduction technique to a figurative concept reflects broader changes in engineering culture and product development practices. Although newer digital methods exist, the historical term remains in common usage as a symbol of careful planning and standardization.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "blueprint" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "blueprint" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "blueprint"
-uth sounds
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