2 syllables: Col, gate. Stress on Col.
KOHL-gayt
/ˈkoʊlɡeɪt/
Colgate is pronounced KOHL-gayt (/ˈkoʊlɡeɪt/). It has two syllables (Col-gate), with the stress on "Col". Colgate is a proper noun used primarily as a brand name (e.g., toothpaste brand) and as a surname. It denotes a specific commercial product line or family name and is pronounced as a two-syllable name with emphasis on the first syllable. In ordinary usage, it functions as a proper noun referring to Colgate-Palmolive or related entities.
nounColgate is a proper noun used primarily as a brand name (e.g., toothpaste brand) and as a surname. It denotes a specific commercial product line or family name and is pronounced as a two-syllable name with emphasis on the first syllable. In ordinary usage, it functions as a proper noun referring to Colgate-Palmolive or related entities.
"I bought Colgate toothpaste this morning."
"Colgate University is known for its historic campus."
"We discussed the Colgate merger during the meeting."
Colgate is pronounced COHL-gayt, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US ˈkoʊlˌɡeɪt, UK ˈkəʊlˌɡeɪt, AU ˈkoːlˌɡeɪt. Start with a long O vowel that moves into a crisp /l/ and a final /ɡeɪt/ cluster; end with a clear /t/. See audio resources for modelization.
Common errors: 1) Over-splitting into COAL-GATE with an exaggerated /ɔː/ in the first syllable; correct is /koʊl/ with a pure long O. 2) Slurring the /l/ or turning /l/ into a vowel before it; keep a distinct /l/ in COHL. 3) Dropping the final /t/ or making it a soft /d/; ensure a crisp aspirated /t/. Practice with targeted minimal pairs.
In US English, Colgate is COHL-gayt with rhoticity affecting the /r/-like influence; UK/Gone with non-rhotic, but Colgate remains /ˈkəʊlˌɡeɪt/ with strong /eɪ/ in the second syllable. Australian English follows an American-like rhotic pattern but often with a flatter /ɔː/ or /oː/ in the first vowel depending on speaker. Overall, stress placement is fixed on the first syllable; vowel quality varies slightly by region.
The difficulty lies in maintaining a clean glide from /oʊ/ to /l/ and then into /ˌɡeɪt/, plus producing a crisp final /t/ after a consonant cluster; some talkers confuse /oʊ/ with /ɔː/, or la-deleting the /l/ before /ɡ/. Focus on the transition from long O to the L sound, and ensure your tongue tip taps the ridge for the /t/ release.
Because Colgate is a brand and surname, you’ll often hear rapid speech with reduced vowel duration in the first syllable in some marketing spots, but in educated speech you should maintain a full /oʊ/ and /eɪ/ sequence. Be mindful of brand-name convention to keep it two syllables with strong first-syllable stress.
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US: rhotic, clear /ɹ/ influence, maintain a strong long O; UK: nonrhotic, slight schwa on first syllable, crisper /t/; AU: similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels; IPA references: US ˈkoʊlˌɡeɪt, UK ˈkəʊlˌɡeɪt, AU ˈkoːlˌɡeɪt.
Colgate originated as a surname of English origin. The surname Colgate itself is toponymic, deriving from places named Colgate in England, likely from Old English elements meaning 'coal' or 'coal-gate' and references to a gate or gatehouse near a coal-related feature. The brand Colgate-Palmolive adopted the name from its founder family; the toothpaste brand Colgate was established in the 19th century, first marketed in the United States in the 1870s. Over time, the surname became a widely recognized company name, association with a major consumer goods conglomerate, and a global brand across dental care products. The word’s use as a brand has remained stable while its association broadened beyond a personal surname to corporate identity, campus naming, and media references. The first known uses appear in American commerce in the late 1800s, when Colgate & Co. launched consumer dental products and built brand recognition through dental health messaging and retail distribution. The evolution reflects the shift from a family surname to a multinational corporate identity. In modern text, Colgate is almost always capitalized as a proper noun and recognized internationally due to the toothpaste brand and university name, carrying the brand association in global markets.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Colgate" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Colgate"
-ate sounds
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