2 syllables: Cor, vette. Stress on vette.
kawr-VET
/kɔˈɹvɛt/
Corvette is pronounced kawr-VET (/kɔˈɹvɛt/). It has two syllables (Cor-vette), with the stress on "vette". Corvette is a small, fast, classic car name and a modern steel-hulled warship term. In everyday use, it denotes a sleek, performance-oriented vehicle, while in naval contexts it refers to a type of escort ship. The word carries automotive prestige and a sense of speed, with a hint of historical and maritime associations.
nounCorvette is a small, fast, classic car name and a modern steel-hulled warship term. In everyday use, it denotes a sleek, performance-oriented vehicle, while in naval contexts it refers to a type of escort ship. The word carries automotive prestige and a sense of speed, with a hint of historical and maritime associations.
- You may default to kor-VET; switch to COR-vet with proper first-syllable stress. - Final -ette often made into -et or swallowed: keep a crisp -vet. - /r/ may be silent in non-rhotic accents; in US, make it a clear rhotic /r/. - Practice the transition from vowel to /r/ to /v/ to /t/ without blending vowels too slowly. - Record yourself saying ‘COR-vet’ in a single breath, then compare to native clips; adjust lip rounding and tongue height to align with native timing. - To fix, break it into syllables, say each slowly, then combine, then speed up with minimal pairs: COR-vet, CORE-vet, CORE-veh. Repeat in sequences to embed cadence.
How to Pronounce Corvette
"I bought a vintage Corvette and took it to the show."
"The Corvette cruises smoothly on the highway."
"She admired the Corvette’s curves as it pulled away."
In US and most general usage, pronounce as COR-vet with first syllable stressed: ˈkɔːr.vɛt (roughly 'KOR-vet'). Some speakers say kor-VET, but COR- is preferred in automotive circles. The V is a light, crisp consonant between vowels, and the final T should be a clear, unreleased or lightly released depending on pace. Listen to automotive review clips and repeat: COR-vet. IPA guidance: US /ˈkɔːr.vɛt/; UK /ˈkɔː.vət/; AU /ˈkɒː.vət/ depending on local vowel shift, but keep the /t/ crisp.
Common mistakes: 1) Stress shifting to second syllable (kor-VET) instead of COR-vet. 2) Dropping the R in non-rhotic contexts (KAW-vet). 3) Slurring the final -ette into -et or -et-te, making it unclear. Correction tips: practice with a short pause between syllables: COR • vet, emphasize the first syllable with your tongue tip raised toward the alveolar ridge; keep the /r/ crisp and fully voiced in US, and make sure the final /t/ is audible, not silent. Listen to car-show narrations and imitate the rhythm to fix rhythm mistakes.
US tends to a rhotic, strong /r/ and tense vowel in the first syllable: COR-vet /ˈkɔːr.vɛt/. UK often uses a clipped /ˈkɔː.vət/ with non-rhotic tendencies in rapid speech; the first vowel is similar, but the final -ette may sound lighter. Australian often aligns with US rhythm but vowels may be broader, so /ˈkɒː.vət/ or /ˈkɔː.vet/ depending on speaker. Across accents, the key differences are rhoticity and vowel quality in the first syllable; the final consonant tends to be a clear /t/ but can be flapped or unreleased in casual speech.
Because it blends a stressed, tense first syllable with a short, closed second syllable and ends with a hard consonant that can be unreleased in quick speech. The /r/ in US is rhotic and must be voiced, while British speakers may reduce the second syllable and drop some linking sounds in rapid speech. The combination of an unfamiliar brand name and the ship-dynastic root can throw learners off, especially when transposing spelling to pronunciation or when the final /t/ blends with following words in connected speech.
Is the second syllable ever pronounced as ‘-ette’ as in ‘et’ rather than ‘-et’ as in bet? The standard in automotive usage remains COR-vet with a short, clipped second syllable, not ‘-COR-vette’ as in the French feminine noun ending. While some regional accents may soften the ending, the widely accepted pronounciation follows the stressed first syllable and a short, crisp -vet. Always emphasize the /v/ and final /t/ for clarity.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is strong; keep the back of the tongue relaxed but the blade toward the alveolar ridge for the /r/. IPA: /ˈkɔːr.vɛt/. - UK: /ˈkɔː.vət/; less pronounced /r/ in post-vocalic position, shorter second syllable. Relax jaw; keep first vowel steady. - AU: similar to US; vowels may be broader; keep /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ depending on speaker; final /t/ may be released or unreleased in casual speech. - Vowel quality matters: short /e/ as in bet in US, but UK may have a lighter /ə/ in the second syllable. - The -ette ending is not pronounced as a separate syllable; avoid inserting extra schwa between -v and -et. - General tip: practice by saying “COR” with a strong, rounded lip posture, then slide into a quick, clean “vet.”
Corvette comes from the French corvette, from Italian corvetta, from late Latin corfeta, diminutive of corsa ‘a running,’ related to correr ‘to run.’ The naval use emerged in the 17th century to denote a small, fast warship, often a cruising vessel commanded by a lieutenant. The automotive adoption in the United States dates to the mid-20th century, with Chevrolet’s Corvette debuting in 1953, borrowing the ship-name’s connotations of speed and maneuverability. The term evolved to describe a specific two-seater sports car marketed as an aspirational, performance-oriented model. Over time, Corvette became synonymous with American automotive performance iconography, while the naval sense retained historical and military associations. First known use in English for the ship sense appears in 17th century nautical logs, while the car name solidified mid-20th century popular culture. In contemporary usage, Corvette almost exclusively references the Chevrolet sports car in many contexts, but naval references persist in historical discussions and certain fleets still carry the name for specific hull classes.
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Words that rhyme with "Corvette"
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