3 syllables: de, co, rate. Stress on de.
DEK-ur-ayt
/ˈdɛkɚˌeɪt/
decorate is pronounced DEK-ur-ayt (/ˈdɛkɚˌeɪt/). It has three syllables (de-co-rate), with the stress on "de". Decorate means to add decorative elements to something, to embellish or adorn in a way that makes it more attractive. It encompasses both practical decorating and ceremonial embellishment, often involving color, pattern, or arrangement. The term can also imply dressing up objects, spaces, or occasions to create a pleasing visual effect.
Decorate means to add decorative elements to something, to embellish or adorn in a way that makes it more attractive. It encompasses both practical decorating and ceremonial embellishment, often involving color, pattern, or arrangement. The term can also imply dressing up objects, spaces, or occasions to create a pleasing visual effect.
"The party planner helped decorate the hall with balloons and streamers."
"She decided to decorate the cake with edible flowers."
"They used lights to decorate the exterior of the house for the holidays."
Pronounce as DEH-kuh-rayt in US and UK, IPA /ˈdɛkəˌreɪt/. The primary stress is on the first syllable, the second syllable is a schwa, and the final syllable carries the /reɪt/ with secondary emphasis. Mouth positions: begin with a front lax vowel /dɛ/ with the tongue high-mid, then a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, followed by a long /reɪt/ with the jaw closed to create the /reɪ/ diphthong and a final 't'. Listen for the transition into the long 'ate' sound. For sound reference, imagine saying “deck-uh-rate.”
Common errors: (1) Stressing the second syllable as in de-CO-rate instead of DEK-uh-rate; (2) Mispronouncing the second syllable as /iː/ or /i/ instead of a reduced /ə/; (3) Slurring the final /t/ or producing a /d/ or /tʃ/ sound. Correction tips: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈdɛ/ and lightly articulate the /ə/ in the second syllable, then clearly produce /reɪt/ with a full /t/. Practice with slow enunciation: ‘DEK-uh-rate’ and then frequent quick repetition in natural speech.
Across accents, the core segments stay, but vowel qualities shift. US and UK share /ˈdɛkəˌreɪt/, with /e/ in the first syllable often a short open-mid vowel; US may have a slightly flatter /æ/ in fast speech, while UK can feature a crisper /ˈdɛkə/ with less vowel reduction in rapid speech. Australians typically maintain /ˈdɛkəˌreɪt/ but with non-rhotic tendencies and slight vowel shifts: the /ɪ/ in some unstressed positions reduces to /ə/ more readily, and the final /eɪt/ may be clipped. Listening for rhoticity and vowel length helps differentiate.
The difficulty lies in managing the mixed syllable rhythm and the unstressed schwa in the middle. The sequence DEK-uh-rate requires precise timing: strong initial stress, a quick, neutral middle, then a clear, elongated final /reɪt/. Non-native speakers often misplace stress or alter the middle vowel into a full vowel, creating DEK-i-rate or DÉK-uh-RATE. Focus on keeping a compact middle syllable and reserving the /reɪt/ for the final stressed portion. IPA cues: /ˈdɛkəˌreɪt/.
A key feature is the two-syllable boundary that leads into a long diphthong in the final syllable. The second syllable is a weak vowel /ə/, not a full vowel, which often gets eliminated or over-emphasized. The final /reɪt/ is a separate, clearly voiced nucleus with a long vowel quality. Remember the initial /d/ is voiced, the /ɛ/ is a lax front vowel, and the final /eɪt/ contains the long vowel /eɪ/ before final /t/.
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Decorate traces to the Latin word decorare, meaning to adorn, decorate, or embellish. Decorare is formed from decorus (proper, fitting) + the infinitive suffix -are. The root decor- is linked to ideas of order, beauty, and suitability. Through French and Middle French, decorer evolved in the medieval and early modern periods to mean adornment or ornamentation in architecture, clothing, and ritual objects. In English, decorate appeared in the 14th–15th centuries with senses tied to ornamentation, fashioning, and embellishment. Over time, the sense broadened to refer to decorating interiors, cakes, events, and general beautification. The word has retained its core connotation of making something more attractive or ceremonial while expanding into both practical and aesthetic domains. The form in English is influenced by French through loan translations and by Latin via the root decor. In modern usage, decorate is versatile across contexts from home décor to ceremonial decoration, preserving a consistent emphasis on ornamentation and embellishment rather than functional alteration.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "decorate" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "decorate" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "decorate"
-set sounds
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