4 syllables: co, or, di, nate. Stress on or.
koh-AWR-duh-nuht
/koʊˈɔɹdənət/
coordinate is pronounced koh-AWR-duh-nuht (/koʊˈɔɹdənət/). It has four syllables (co-or-di-nate), with the stress on "or". Coordinate can function as both a verb (to bring different elements into proper relation or alignment) and a noun (a point defined by a pair or pair of numbers in a system). As a verb, it often means to organize or harmonize actions; as a noun, it denotes a location in a grid or system. The word carries varied stress patterns and related forms (coordinate, coordinates, coordinating).
Coordinate can function as both a verb (to bring different elements into proper relation or alignment) and a noun (a point defined by a pair or pair of numbers in a system). As a verb, it often means to organize or harmonize actions; as a noun, it denotes a location in a grid or system. The word carries varied stress patterns and related forms (coordinate, coordinates, coordinating).
"- The project team must coordinate their schedules to meet the deadline."
"- She will coordinate the volunteers and allocate resources."
"- In mathematics, each point has x and y coordinates."
In US English, the common pronunciation is /koʊˈɔːrdənˌeɪt/ for the verb, with primary stress on the second syllable and a secondary stress on the final syllable. The noun form is /ˈkoʊˌɔːrdɪneɪt/ or /koʊˈɔːrdɪnət/ depending on regional drift. In UK English, you’ll hear /kəʊˈɔːdɪneɪt/ (verb) and /ˈkəʊɔːdiːnət/ for the noun, with a stronger initial syllable. In Australian English, expect /ˈkɔːədɪneɪt/ or /kɔːˈɔːdɪneɪt/, with a flatter rhythm and less pronounced rhotics. Tip: emphasize the “or” in the stressed second syllable for the verb, and keep the final “ate” clearly as /eɪt/. Audio reference: listen to Pronounce or Forvo entries for coordinate as a verb and noun.
Common errors include reducing the second syllable to a quick /ə/ or /ɪ/ (COOR-di-nate vs co-OR-di-nate) and misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable in verbs. Some learners overemphasize the final -ate, saying /koʊˈɔːrdənət/ instead of /koʊˈɔːrdəneɪt/. Another frequent slip is flattening the /ɔː/ to an /ɑ/ in non-rhotic accents, affecting the distinctive vowel quality. Correction tips: practice with the two-syllable unit co-OR-din-ate, keep the vowel in the second syllable long /ɔːr/ and the final /eɪt/, and maintain the final tense /neɪt/; use minimal pairs like coordinate vs co-ordinate (British spelling) to reinforce the stress shift.
US English typically uses /koʊˈɔːrdənˌeɪt/ for the verb, with a prominent second-syllable stress and flapped r-like quality in some dialects; the noun form can be /ˈkoʊˌɔːrdɪnət/. UK English often uses /kəʊˈɔːdɪneɪt/ (verb) with clearer non-rhotic r and stronger vowel in the second syllable; AU English follows a mix but leans toward /ˈkɔːədɪneɪt/ with a smoother, less rhotic r and slightly longer vowels. Differences center on rhoticity, the strength of the /ɔː/ vowel, and whether the stress centers on the second or first syllable depending on noun/verb use.
Coordination of multi-syllable stress with two possible vowel lengths makes it tricky. The challenge is the long /ɔː/ in the stressed syllable paired with the final /eɪt/ and the middle /dər/ sequence that must be kept smooth. For non-native ears, the tensity of the consonant cluster rr-d/ can blur under casual speech, and the verb form shifts stress compared to the noun. Focus on the two-syllable rhythm in the verb and maintain crisp ending /neɪt/ to avoid flattening the word.
Coordinate has two common pronunciations depending on part of speech, with stress shifting between COORD-in-ate (noun-adjacent pattern) and co-OR-din-ate (verb pattern). The presence of two potential syllabic stresses, combined with a long /ɔː/ vowel and the final /eɪt/, creates a moving target for learners. Mastery comes from chunking the word into a stable phonological unit, then adjusting the stress depending on function, while preserving the vowel quality and timing of the final syllable.
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Coordinate derives from the late Latin coordinare, meaning to place in order or to set in a coordinating arrangement. The Latin prefix co- (together) combined with ordinare (to put in order, arrange). Through Old French, it entered English as coordinate, initially retaining the sense of placing things in order or aligning. In mathematics and geometry, the term was repurposed in the 17th–18th centuries to describe a system of numbers that locate a point in space, hence the noun coordinate (a pair of numbers) and verb coordinate (to bring into a common framework). The pronunciation and stress patterns evolved along with the word’s functional breadth: the verb form typically stresses the second syllable (co-OR-di-nate) in many contexts, reflecting its shifting emphasis in English as a multi-syllable verb with affixes. First known uses in English appear in scholarly and technical writings of the 17th century as scholars described coordinate systems in geometry and algebra. Over time, coordinate gained common usage across disciplines—engineering, project management, computer science—carrying both the sense of alignment and the mathematical meaning, with noun and verb forms converging on standard pronunciations in modern English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "coordinate" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "coordinate" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "coordinate"
-ate sounds
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