One syllable: dip.
dip
/dɪp/
dip is pronounced dip (/dɪp/). It has one syllable (dip), with the stress on "dip". Dip (noun or verb) refers to a brief downward movement or immersion, often into a liquid; as a verb it means to submerge briefly or descend, and as a noun it can mean a short downward slope or a sauce for dipping. In everyday use, it can describe both the act of lowering something into a liquid and a quick, shallow movement. It’s also used in phrases like “dip in” or “dip a toe in.”.
Dip (noun or verb) refers to a brief downward movement or immersion, often into a liquid; as a verb it means to submerge briefly or descend, and as a noun it can mean a short downward slope or a sauce for dipping. In everyday use, it can describe both the act of lowering something into a liquid and a quick, shallow movement. It’s also used in phrases like “dip in” or “dip a toe in.”
"I will dip my tea bag into the hot water and wait for it to steep."
"The temperature dipped slightly overnight."
"Dip your fries in ketchup for extra flavor."
Dip is pronounced with a single syllable: /dɪp/. Begin with a voiced alveolar stop /d/, then move to a short lax vowel /ɪ/ as in 'sit', and finish with a voiceless bilabial stop /p/. The mouth starts with the tongue at the alveolar ridge, then quickly closes the lips for the final /p/ release. In connected speech you may hear a slight reduction in the vowel in fast talk, but the basic form remains /dɪp/.
Two common mistakes: using a long vowel (like /diːp/) or misplacing the final plosive. To correct, keep the vowel short and lax as in /ɪ/, and ensure a crisp, unreleased or released /p/ depending on context. Don’t add a vowel after the /p/ (avoid /dɪpɪ/). Pay attention to the tongue quickly sealing at the alveolar ridge for the /d/ and releasing into /ɪ/ before the /p/ closure.
Across accents, the core /dɪp/ stays the same, but vowel quality can shift. In US English, /ɪ/ is a shorter, clipped vowel; in some UK varieties, you might hear a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ or a near-close front vowel; Australian English tends toward a compact, quick /ɪ/ with clear /p/ at the end and less vowel length variation. Rhoticity doesn’t affect this word because it’s not vowel-rhotic. The main differences are vowel quality and consonant release timing in connected speech.
The challenge lies in precise timing: the /d/ closure, the brief /ɪ/ vowel, and the final /p/ release must be tightly coordinated. Many speakers code-switch quickly and add an extra vowel or elongate the vowel, turning /dɪp/ into /diːp/. Another tricky point is the final plosive release; either unreleased or released /p/ can shift the timing and sound. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on the transition from /d/ to /ɪ/ to /p/.
Dip has no silent letter and is a single-syllable word with primary stress on the only syllable. There is no alternate stress pattern in standard usage. The key is the tight onset and short vowel. In connected speech, you may hear it blended with neighboring sounds, but the symbol-level representation remains /dɪp/ with stress on the single syllable.
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US: crisper /ɪ/ with quick /p/ release; minimal vowel length variation in rapid speech. UK: similar /ɪ/ but slightly more centralized in fast talk; keep the /p/ crisp. AU: concise vowel, less vowel reduction, maintain strong /p/ release; ensure final stop is clear. IPA references: US /dɪp/, UK /dɪp/, AU /dɪp/. Tip: practice with phrases to hear subtle differences: 'dip into', 'dip the brush', 'dip in temperature'.
Dip comes from the Old English word dipian, meaning to dip, soak, or immerse, with cognates in Germanic languages. The sense of submerging gradually broadened through Middle English into modern usage. Historically, dip carried the literal meaning of plunging something into a liquid; later, it expanded to include figurative uses such as a dip in price or a dip in temperature. The verb forms often carry a short, quick action, mirroring the small, deliberate motion implied by the root. The noun sense of a downward inclination or a sauce for dipping developed alongside common culinary phrases (dip as a sauce). The word has kept its compact, monosyllabic form, with consistent pronunciation patterns, and it remains highly productive in phrasal verb contexts (dip in, dip out, dip into). First attested medieval forms appear in various English dialect records, with the general sense of downward immersion well established by Early Modern English. Modern usage maintains both literal and metaphorical meanings, from dipping a toe in water to dipping stock prices. The core semantic field centers on movement toward a lower position or modest submersion, making dip a versatile, everyday term in English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "dip" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "dip" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "dip"
-lip sounds
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