5 syllables: con, duc, ti, vi, ty. Stress on ti.
kahn-duhk-TIV-uh-tee
/ˌkɑˌndʌˈktɪvəti/
conductivity is pronounced kahn-duhk-TIV-uh-tee (/ˌkɑˌndʌˈktɪvəti/). It has five syllables (con-duc-ti-vi-ty), with the stress on "ti". Conductivity refers to the degree to which a material or medium conducts heat or electricity. It is a property measured by how readily energy carriers move through the substance, influencing how effectively it transfers heat or electrical current. In science and engineering contexts, conductivity helps characterize materials for applications like insulation, electronics, and fluid dynamics.
Conductivity refers to the degree to which a material or medium conducts heat or electricity. It is a property measured by how readily energy carriers move through the substance, influencing how effectively it transfers heat or electrical current. In science and engineering contexts, conductivity helps characterize materials for applications like insulation, electronics, and fluid dynamics.
"The conductivity of the solution increased as the temperature rose."
"Researchers measured the conductivity of the wire to assess its efficiency."
"Many polymers are engineered to balance electrical conductivity with mechanical strength."
Say kən-ˌdək-ˈti-və-tē, stressing the -tiv- syllable in most dialects: kən-DUK-tiv-ih-tee. The primary stress lands on the third syllable -ti-, so you can hear kon-DUK-tiv-i-tee with a light final -ee. IPA: US /kənˌdækˈtɪvɪti/ or /kənˌdəkˈtɪvɪti/; UK/AU /kənˌdʌkˈtɪvɪti/.
Mistakes include compressing the two consonants in -duct- into a quick /dʒ/ or /dʒʌ/ sound, misplacing primary stress on -duc- or -tiv-, and slurring the final -ity into -ee-tee. Correct by emphasizing the -tiv- with a clear /tɪv/ and ending with /ɪti/. Also ensure the /kən/ onset is unstressed and short.
US tends to reduce the unstressed syllables slightly, with /kənˌdækˈtɪvɪti/. UK and AU often feature a slightly more rounded /ˈkɒn.dʌkˈtɪ.vɪ.ti/ or /kənˌdʌkˈtɪvɪti/ with less vowel reduction in some speakers. The crucial difference is in the vowel of the first stressed syllable (/æ/ vs /ʌ/ in some speakers) and the rhoticity impact on the initial 'con' sound. Overall, stress remains on the -tiv- syllable across accents.
Two main challenges: the cluster -duct- followed by -iv- creates a quick transition through /d/ + /t/. The -ivity suffix yields four vowels in sequence, so you need to maintain clean separations: /-dək-ˈtɪ-vɪ-ti/. Also the initial unstressed /kən/ reduces quickly, risking loss of the /k/ onset if you speak too fast.
No, conductivity pronounces all letters: /kənˌdækˈtɪvɪti/. There aren’t silent letters; every letter contributes to the sound pattern, though the initial /k/ is often soft due to the preceding unstressed /ə/.
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Conductivity derives from the noun conductivity, formed in the late 18th to early 19th century from Latin conductere ‘to bring together, bring along’ combined with the English suffix -ivity. The root conduct- comes from Latin conductere, from con- ‘together’ + ducere ‘to lead’. The suffix -ivity marks a state or quality. In scientific vocabulary, conductivity specialized into two primary senses: electrical conductivity, describing how readily a material allows the flow of electric current, and thermal conductivity, describing heat transfer. Early explorations into electrical conduction by scientists like Ohm and Fourier contributed to formal definitions of conductivity as a material property. As industrial chemistry and materials science evolved, conductivity became a standard descriptor in solutions and solids, leading to common measurements such as S/m for electrical conductivity and W/(m·K) for thermal conductivity. The term entered widespread usage in the 19th century with the rise of electromagnetism and thermodynamics, and remains essential in physics, chemistry, and engineering disciplines today.
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Words that rhyme with "conductivity"
-ity sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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