2 syllables: de, tails. Stress on de.
/ˈdiː.teɪlz/
Say it backDetails refers to the individual features or facts about something, or the finer points of a topic. It conveys precision and completeness, often focusing on specific aspects rather than the big picture. In usage, it can describe either specifics in information or small, meticulous particulars. The noun is commonly plural and frequently used in professional, academic, or technical contexts.
"She provided details about the project timeline and deliverables."
"The detective investigated every detail of the crime scene."
"Please give me the details of your travel itinerary."
You pronounce it as /dɪˈteɪlz/. The main stress lands on the second syllable. Start with a short /dɪ/ as in ‘did,’ move to an extended /eɪ/ like in ‘sail,’ then end with a voiced /lz/ cluster. In natural speech, you’ll often hear a light linking into the -s at the end, making the ending softly audible as a voiced /z/ or a light /əlz/ depending on the speaker. IPA: US/UK/AU all share /dɪˈteɪlz/. Audio references: try Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries for native pronunciations; you can also listen to Forvo entries for variations.
Two common mistakes are pronouncing the first syllable with a long /iː/ (dee-TALEZ) and misplacing the stress on the first syllable (DET-ails). To correct: keep the first vowel as /ɪ/ (short i) and place primary stress on the second syllable: /dɪˈteɪlz/. Also avoid converting the final /lz/ to a separate /lz/ or dropping the /z/; keep the voiced /z/ sound from the final cluster when fluent.
In US, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable is relatively lax; the second syllable carries strong /eɪ/ with a clear /l/ before the final /z/. UK English tends to slightly crisper consonants and a more clipped /ɪ/ in the first syllable, with /ɪˈteɪlz/ sometimes heard as /dɪˈteɪlz/ with similar stress but subtle vowel shortening. Australian English aligns with rhotic tendencies in connected speech but often shows a broader /eɪ/ diphthong and less pronounced /l/ lightness. Overall core pattern /dɪˈteɪlz/ remains, with vowel quality and aggressiveness of /l/ and /z/ realization varying.
The difficulty lies in the two adjacent vowels and the consonant cluster /lz/ at the end. You need a precise onset /d/, a lax /ɪ/ before a tense /eɪ/ diphthong, and a final voiced /lz/ cluster without an intrusive vowel in between. Learners often insert a schwa before /l/ or misplace the primary stress. Focus on keeping the /ɪ/ short, the /eɪ/ prominent but not overpowering, and ensure the /l/ transitions smoothly into the /z/.
No, 'details' contains no silent letters. All letters contribute to the pronunciation: d, i, t, e, a, l, s. The significant phonetic considerations are the diphthong in the second syllable and the final /lz/ cluster. The initial /d/ is a normal voiced alveolar stop; the /ɪ/ is a short vowel; /teɪ/ is a stressed diphthong; and /lz/ is a clear, voiced consonant cluster transitioning into a final /z/ sound in fluent speech.
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Details originates from the older French phrase des detailz, meaning ‘the small points’ or ‘the precise pieces.’ In English usage, it evolved from the term ‘detail’ (from Latin detailedis, from intentus, tied to the notion of ornamentation or enumeration). The modern sense of ‘a particular feature or item’ emerged in early modern English as scholars and mercantile contexts demanded exact information. The plural form ‘details’ often implies multiple discrete points or elements under discussion. The word’s semantic shift toward meticulous specificity aligns with professions that value precision—law, journalism, engineering, and academia—where enumerating details matters for clarity, accountability, and accuracy. First known use in English traces to the 15th–16th centuries, with documented usage appearing in legal and administrative records as detail(s) denoted enumerated points or items to be considered. Over time, ‘detail’ broadened to include the fabric of minutiae in descriptions, explanations, or instructions, while ‘details’ increasingly referred to the constellation of items or facts that comprise a complete understanding of a subject.
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Words that rhyme with "details"
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