2 syllables: de, vised. Stress on vised.
div-EYEZD
/dɪˈvaɪzd/
devised is pronounced div-EYEZD (/dɪˈvaɪzd/). It has two syllables (de-vised), with the stress on "vised". Devised means planned or thought up in a careful, clever way; it often describes strategies, schemes, or mechanisms that have been invented or contrived. It emphasizes the deliberate, imaginative process of creation, rather than accidental coming about. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words).
Devised means planned or thought up in a careful, clever way; it often describes strategies, schemes, or mechanisms that have been invented or contrived. It emphasizes the deliberate, imaginative process of creation, rather than accidental coming about. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words)
"The committee devised a new fundraising plan to attract more donors."
"Researchers devised an experiment to isolate the variables."
"The engineer devised a compact mechanism to reduce noise."
Pronounce as dɪˈvaɪzd with the primary stress on the second syllable. Start with a short /d/ plus /ɪ/ (as in “dip”), then the diphthong /aɪ/ as in “high,” followed by /zd/ where the /z/ blends into the voiced /d/. The final sound is a voiced alveolar stop /d/ released after /z/. This yields de-VISED with clear stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: dɪˈvaɪzd.
Common errors: dropping the /z/ or misproducing the /zaɪ/ diphthong by turning it into /eɪ/ as in “day.” Another mistake is making the initial /d/ sound too soft or unreleased before the /ɪ/; ensure a crisp onset. Also, some learners transpose the /z/ and /d/ into a single /d/ cluster or vocalize the ending as /d/ without the preceding /z/. Focus on the /z/ sound merging into the /d/ to preserve the /zd/ sequence.
In US, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable remains short, with strong rhoticity not affecting the vowel. The /aɪ/ diphthong in the second syllable is prominent. In UK, the /ɪ/ can be slightly clearer, and the /ˈ/ placement feels crisper in careful speech. Australian pronunciation tends to be flatter vowels with a more centralized /ɪ/ and can exhibit less vowel tension in /aɪ/. Overall, stress and the /zd/ cluster remain stable across dialects, with minor vowel quality shifts.
The challenge lies in smoothly linking the /z/ to the following /d/ to realize the /zd/ cluster without a hiatus, and producing the diphthong /aɪ/ clearly after a short /ɪ/. Many speakers insert an extra vowel or reframe the cluster as /zɪd/; keep the transition tight between /z/ and /d/. Maintaining the secondary stress on the second syllable and avoiding an overlong /ɪ/ are key to natural pronunciation.
A unique aspect is the consonant cluster /zd/ at the end of the stressed syllable. Many learners anticipate a simple /d/ or /z/; instead, you must contract the voice across the /z/ into the following /d/ so the ending sounds like /zd/ rather than separate /z/ and /d/. This subtle voicing link is a frequent source of non-native-sounding speech and is essential for natural delivery.
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Devised comes from the verb devise, which originates in Old French deviser, from late Latin divisare ‘to separate, divide, consider.’ The root legible through Latin dividere ‘to divide’ or ‘to separate’ is connected to deviser, ‘one who plans, contrives.’ In Middle English, devise carried the sense of imagining or contriving plans, strategies, or devices. By the 16th century, devise also meant to invent or to come up with a plan, tool, or process. The evolution tracks from general “to think up” or “to imagine” to a more concrete sense of designing methods or mechanisms. First known use in English dates to the 14th century in a legal or strategic planning context, then broadening to creative invention and problem-solving. The word’s semantic shift mirrors a movement from abstract ideation to tangible, engineered solutions, retaining its core sense of intentional creation and planning.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "devised" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "devised"
-sed sounds
-zed sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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