How to Pronounce Deviled Eggs | Pronounce.tv

Deviled Eggs

3 syllables: De, vi, led Eggs. Stress on De.

DIV-uhl-degz

/ˈdɪ.vəld ɛɡz/

Deviled Eggs is pronounced DIV-uhl-degz (/ˈdɪ.vəld ɛɡz/). It has three syllables (De-vi-led Eggs), with the stress on "De". Deviled Eggs is a traditional appetizer consisting of hard-boiled eggs halved and filled with a seasoned yolk-mixture. The term commonly refers to the dish itself, and the phrase is used as a proper noun when naming a dish or menu item. The name emphasizes the.

proper nounDeviled Eggs is a traditional appetizer consisting of hard-boiled eggs halved and filled with a seasoned yolk-mixture. The term commonly refers to the dish itself, and the phrase is used as a proper noun when naming a dish or menu item. The name emphasizes the

Common mistakes

You often mispronounce the final z sound in eggs; ensure voicing and crispness: /ɛgz/.
The 'deviled' vowel sequence /ɛ.vəld/ needs a short /ɛ/ and a clean /v/ followed by a clear /ld/ blend; avoid merging 'dev' with 'iled'.
Stress placement should be on DEV- in Devil; don’t shift stress to the second word in casual speech; keep second word unstressed but audible.

How do you pronounce Deviled Eggs?

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How is Deviled Eggs used in a sentence?

"We served deviled eggs at the family reunion, and they disappeared within minutes."

"For the potluck, I brought a tray of deviled eggs with extra paprika on top."

"The restaurant menu lists deviled eggs as an amuse-bouche before the main courses."

Pronunciation FAQ

Pronounce as DEV-uhld EGGZ, with primary stress on the first syllable of 'Deviled' (ˈdɛ.vəld) and a crisp, tense 'ggz' ending in 'eggs'. The first word is two syllables; the second is one. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈdɛ.vəld ɛgz/. Start with an open-mid front unrounded vowel in ‘dev-’ and finish the second word with a voiceless sibilant. Listen to a clear recording to hear the alveolar stop in 'eggs'.

Common mistakes: (1) Misplacing stress on the second word, saying ‘de- VILED eggs’. (2) Slurring the 'ed' in 'deviled' into the 'd' and the 'v' blend, producing ‘devl-d’ or ‘dev-l’d’. (3) Not voicing the final z in 'eggs' clearly. Correction: keep the 'ed' as /vəld/ with a clear /d/ to tie to the following /ɛgz/. Isolate the /ɛ/ in ‘eggs’ briefly before adding the /gz/ cluster.

US/UK/AU share /ˈdɛ.vəld ɛgz/ in core pronunciation, with minor variations: US tends to a more rhotic, breathy quality on vowels; UK tends to crisper final consonants with less r-coloring and tighter vowel duration; AU mirrors UK with slightly broader diphthongs and a more relaxed mouth opening in /ɛ/. In all, the rhotic vs non-rhotic distinction affects only linking and intonation, not the essential phonemes.

The difficulty lies in the cluster /v/ + /əld/ in 'deviled' and the /gz/ cluster in 'eggs'. English speakers may elide or mispronounce the /v/–/əl/ transition or fail to voice the final /z/ in /ɛgz/. Keeping the /v/ clearly articulated, sustaining a short, precise /ə/ in the second syllable, and finishing with a crisp /gz/ helps maintain clarity.

A unique feature is maintaining a clear, tussocked /z/ voice on the plural 'eggs' after a short /ɡ/ in 'eggs'. The phrase benefits from a slight separation between the two words in careful speech, but natural speech often links with a light assimilation between the final /d/ of 'deviled' and the initial vowel of 'eggs'. This subtle linking is common in fast speech.

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Accent differences

US: emphasize rhoticity with a clear /ɹ/ in connected speech; maintain a tight jaw for /ɛ/ and short /ə/ in the second syllable.
UK: crisper consonants, less vowel length; /ɛ/ remains stable, /v/ is precise, and final /gz/ is clear but light.
AU: similar to UK with marginally broader diphthongs and a more relaxed mouth posture; keep /ɛ/ crisp and /gz/ audible but not forceful. Use IPA references to compare vowels and consonant clusters across accents.

Word Etymology

The term deviled in the culinary sense traces to the late 18th century and derives from the spice-rich, 'devil’s' or 'deviled' preparations that were popular in European cooking. The exact origin of combining hard-boiled eggs with a seasoned yolk filling appears in several 19th-century American and British cookbooks, where 'devilled' or 'deviled eggs' described eggs stuffed with seasoned mixtures, often with mustard or pepper. The word devil, from Latin diabolus through Old French diable, conveys heat, spice, or something savory and fiery in culinary contexts. The earliest printed usages in English noting a dish of spiced, stuffed eggs appear in the early to mid-1800s, with recipes becoming a staple at holiday spreads and church suppers. Over time, regional variations proliferated, incorporating ingredients such as mayonnaise, pickles, paprika, and hot sauce. Today, “deviled eggs” is primarily a fixed dish name in American cuisine, though spelling variants like “devilled eggs” persist in British English, reflecting standard orthographic differences rather than a change in the dish itself.

💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.

Usage Notes

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Master the Pronunciation of "Deviled Eggs"

Sound-by-Sound Breakdown - Phonemes with IPA, tongue/lip/jaw positions, common substitutions • D (d) as an alveolar plosive with tip of tongue at the alveolar ridge; brief release • ɛ as open-mid front unrounded vowel; jaw opens slightly • v as labiodental fricative; upper teeth touch lower lip; keep voice on • ə as weak, mid-central schwa; relaxed jaw; common substitution: /ɪ/ or /ɜ/ in fast speech • l as alveolar lateral approximant; tongue tip touches ridge; relaxed sides of mouth • d as again alveolar stop; quick release • ɛ as open-mid front vowel before /gz/ cluster • g as velar plosive; back of tongue rises toward the soft palate; release • z as fricative; voiceless or voiced depending on following sound in some dialects; for eggs, it is /z/ voice • Substitutions: in fast speech, some speakers reduce 'deviled' to /ˈdɛ.vələld/ or assimilate the /d/ with /ɛ/ • Diphthongs: vowel quality in 'egs' remains /ɛ/ and /gz/ cluster at the end; avoid turning into /eɪ/ or /iː/ ## Accent Variations - Compare US/UK/AU with rhoticity, vowel quality differences • US: rhotic; final /z/ often clear in fast speech; /ɛ/ as a lax open-mid vowel; slight r-coloring not relevant to this word • UK: non-rhotic; final 'eggs' may be pronounced with a crisper /ɛ/ and more precise /gz/; less linking to following words • AU: rhotic-like; vowel quality close to UK, but with slightly broader vowels; final /gz/ remains clear; minor elongation of vowels in casual speech ## Practice Sequence - 2-3 minimal pairs, syllable drills, slow-normal-fast speed, 2 context sentences • Minimal pairs: /ˈdɛ.vəld/ vs /ˈdɪ.vəld/ to highlight vowel differences; /ɛ/ vs /iː/ sequences; /gz/ vs /ks/” • Syllable drills: De- with /dɛ/ and -vled with /vəld/; practice linking to eggs without adding extra syllables • Speed progression: slow (n/a), normal, then fast with real sentences • Context sentences: “Deviled Eggs are a party favorite.” “We served deviled eggs at the potluck.” ## Mastery Checklist - 3 checkpoints: articulatory positions, rhyming comparisons, stress/rhythm • Articulatory: tongue-tip placement for /d/ and /t/; lip rounding for /v/; jaw relaxation for /ə/; ensure /gz/ is crisp • Rhyming: compare the final sound with words like “begs,” “pegs,” “leg’s.” Ensure rhyme accuracy; practice with rhyming phrases to judge cadence • Stress/rhythm: ensure primary stress on DEV-, and confidence in the second word’s unstressed but audible quality; maintain natural tempo across phrase.