Capacitor is an electrical component that stores energy in an electric field, typically by separating electric charges in two plates separated by a dielectric. It regulates voltage, filters signals, and shapes transient responses in circuits. In everyday electronics, capacitors come in many sizes and types, including ceramic, electrolytic, and tantalum.
- Misplacing primary stress on the second syllable, producing /ˌkæ.pəˈsi.tɔr/; fix by practicing with deliberate chunking: /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ər/ and using taps to mark syllable boundaries. - Dropping or altering the /t/ before the final vowel, which can blur into /d/ or /t/; ensure a crisp /t/ by pausing slightly before the final vowel in careful speech. - Over-articulating the final /ər/ in rhotic accents, leading to a longer, heavier ending; aim for a light, quick schwa plus rhotic if American, or a neutral syllabic /ə/ in UK/AU. Practice with word pairs like capacitor vs cap-sitor (imagined) to train cleaner segmentation.
- US: rhotic /ɹ/ is pronounced; final /ɚ/ blends quickly. Emphasize /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ɚ/ with a fast, almost clipped /ɚ/. Use a clear /t/ before the final vowel. - UK: non-rhotic /ə/ ending; /t/ remains unreleased in rapid speech. Stress on the first syllable; keep /sɪ/ clear but not overly strong. - AU: similar to UK, with slightly more centralized vowels and often a longer final vowel before the end, e.g., /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ɔː/. Maintain the /t/ as a crisp stop, avoiding voicing changes. IPA notes: US /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt̬.ɚ/, UK /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ə/, AU /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ɔː/.
"The technician replaced the faulty capacitor to restore the radio's timing circuit."
"In high-frequency applications, a capacitor helps smooth out voltage fluctuations."
"The datasheet shows a capacitance value of 10 microfarads and a maximum voltage rating."
"During troubleshooting, you’ll need to measure the capacitor’s leakage current."
The word capacitor derives from the Latin capax, meaning “capacious, able to hold much,” plus the suffix -or denoting an agent or instrument. The term entered English via the French capaciteur and the earlier technical usage in Latin-rooted scientific Latin. In the 19th century, as electrical science developed, engineers used terms like condenser and capacitor to describe devices that store electrical energy in an electric field. The shift from condenser to capacitor reflects evolving naming conventions as technology matured and standardized. First known uses appear in 19th-century engineering texts as vacuum-tube and early semiconductor research expanded the vocabulary for components that store charge. By the mid-20th century, “capacitor” became the dominant term in both manuals and industry catalogs, while “condenser” lingered in certain audio contexts and consumer brands. The etymology thus tracks a move from a general idea of storage in a container (capax) to a precise electrical function central to modern electronics.
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Help others use "Capacitor" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Capacitor" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Capacitor" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Capacitor"
-ter sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Capacitor is pronounced /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ər/ in US English and /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ə/ in UK English. Primary stress falls on the first syllable, with secondary stress on the third syllable in many pronunciations. Start with a light, quick /ˈkæ/ followed by a relaxed /pə/, then /ˌsɪt/ and a soft final /ər/ (or /ə/ in non-rhotic UK variants). If you’re Australian, use the UK-like /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ɔː/ ending, with a longer final vowel. Audio reference: you can listen to native pronunciations on Forvo or YouGlish under “capacitor.” Keywords: stress, syllable-timing, rhoticity.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (placing primary stress on the second or third syllable), saying /ˈkeɪ.pəˌsiːˈtɔː/ or misplacing the /t/ as a hard /d/ sound, and keeping the final /ər/ too strong in non-rhotic varieties. Correct by keeping primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ər/ (US). Ensure the /s/ is crisp and the /t/ is unreleased in fast speech, and finish with a light schwa + r. Practice with minimal pairs to stabilize the /t/ and final syllable vowel.
In US English, /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt̬.ɚ/ with rhotic /ɚ/ final. UK English typically yields /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ə/ with non-rhotic final /ə/ or /ə/ in connected speech. Australian follows a similar pattern to UK but often retains a slightly more centralized vowel quality and a clearer final /ɔː/ or /ə/ depending on the speaker. The /t/ is generally an aspirated or unreleased stop in all three, and the internal syllable /sɪ/ remains stable. Listening to domain-specific sources (Forvo, YouGlish) can help tune your ear to these differences.
Capacitor challenges include sequencing: initial /kæ/ with a quick onset, then a mid- syllable /pə/ followed by a cluster /ˌsɪt/ and a light final vowel. The /t/ can be aspirated or unreleased, and the final /ɚ/ or /ə/ varies by dialect. For non-native speakers, the combination /pəˌsɪ/ can blur, making it sound like /ˈkæ.pæsɪtər/ or /ˈkæ.pəˈsiː.tɔr/. Focus on the two-phoneme transition between /p/ and /s/ and the unstressed, reduced endings.
Capacitor’s typical stress pattern is two-syllable primary stress on the first, with secondary stress on the third syllable in many American and British readings: /ˈkæ.pəˌsɪt.ər/. The unique challenge is maintaining a crisp /s/ before /ɪ/ and ensuring the final /ər/ or /ə/ does not broaden into a separate syllable in rapid speech. In some contexts, speakers will compress to /ˈkæpəˌsɪtə/ in casual speech, but the canonical form remains three-syllable with a clear /t/ before the final vowel.
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- Shadowing: listen to a native reading of Capacitor and imitate in real-time; start slow, then speed up while maintaining equal stress. - Minimal pairs: focus on /kæ/ vs /keɪ/ and /tə/ vs /tə/; examples: capacitor vs capsaicin (not a perfect pair, but helps isolate /ˈkæ/ and /ˌsɪt/). Use pairs that contrast /t/ release and final vowel. - Rhythm practice: count three-syllable rhythm: CAP-a-si-tor; keep a steady tempo. - Stress practice: rehearse with emphasis marks: CAP-a-si-tor; then practice with natural sentences. - Recording: record yourself reading the definition and sentences; compare to native audio for vowel length and consonant crispness. - Contextual sentences: practice two contexts: technical lab instruction and casual hardware repair dialogue. - Slow-normal-fast progression: begin at 60 bpm, progress to 90-110 bpm, ensure accuracy before speed. - Intonation: in listings or descriptions, use rising intonation on adjectives, flat on nouns; in questions, adjust end of sentences.
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