3 syllables: do, mi, no. Stress on do.
DAH-muh-noh
/ˈdɑməˌnoʊ/
domino is pronounced DAH-muh-noh (/ˈdɑməˌnoʊ/). It has three syllables (do-mi-no), with the stress on "do". Domino refers to either a small rectangular tile with a line dividing its face into two parts, each showing a number of spots, or to a game played with such tiles where players matching values aim to empty their hands. It can also mean a sequence of events where one action sets off a chain reaction of similar outcomes. The term is used in both gaming and metaphorical contexts to describe interconnected, sequential events.
Domino refers to either a small rectangular tile with a line dividing its face into two parts, each showing a number of spots, or to a game played with such tiles where players matching values aim to empty their hands. It can also mean a sequence of events where one action sets off a chain reaction of similar outcomes. The term is used in both gaming and metaphorical contexts to describe interconnected, sequential events.
- Misplacing stress on the second syllable or swallowing the middle /ɪ/ in fast speech; correct by isolating the first syllable and practicing the sequence /ˈdɒm/ + /ɪ/ + /oʊ/ slowly, then link. - Vowel length mismatches: avoid diluting /ɒ/ into a lax /ɒ/ when aiming for US /ˈdɒm.ɪ.noʊ/; keep /ɒ/ short but defined. Practice by alternating with back-vowel words. - Final vowel reduction in rapid speech: don’t reduce /noʊ/ to /no/ or /nə/; keep the diphthong intact in US; in UK/AU, ensure /əʊ/ for the final; drill slow-to-fast to build retention. - Final consonant clarity: ensure /n/ remains a distinct nasal rather than blending into the following vowel. Use syllable segmentation drills.
"The player lined up the dominoes and knocked them all over in a satisfying chain reaction."
"In a strategy meeting, she warned that one failed decision could trigger a domino effect on the project timeline."
"Domino is also a popular tile-based game enjoyed by families on holidays."
US: /ˈdɒm.ɪ.noʊ/ with primary stress on the first syllable. UK: /ˈdɒm.ɪ.nəʊ/ often with a slightly reduced second syllable and a clear final /əʊ/. AU follows a similar pattern to UK, sometimes with a slightly flatter final vowel. Note the two consonant clusters: /d/ + /ɒ/ and the mid vowel /ɪ/ before /noʊ/ or /nəʊ/. Practice by isolating the first syllable /ˈdɒm/ and then smoothly linking to /ɪ.noʊ/ or /ɪ.nəʊ/. Audio references: consult Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries’ audio.
Two frequent errors: misplacing stress on the second syllable (saying /ˌdɒmɪˈnəʊ/ or /ˈdoʊmənəʊ/) and mispronouncing the middle vowel as a long /iː/ or as /i/ instead of /ɪ/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈdɒm/ and use a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, then a clear /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ in the final. Ensure the final cluster is /noʊ/ or /nəʊ/, not /noː/ or /noj/.
US: /ˈdɒm.ɪ.noʊ/ with a rhotic-less /ɒ/ and ending /oʊ/. UK: /ˈdɒm.ɪ.nəʊ/ with a short /ɒ/ and a more rounded closing vowel /əʊ/; AU tends to parallel UK but with slight vowel length variability and a less pronounced rhoticity. The middle /ɪ/ is typically lax in all, but the seconds syllable can vary from /ɪ/ to a reduced /ən/ depending on rapid speech. For precise guidance, rely on native speaker audio in dictionaries.
The challenges center on vowel quality and syllable rhythm: the first syllable carries primary stress, the second uses a short /ɪ/ that can be swallowed in rapid speech, and the final syllable shifts from /noʊ/ to /nəʊ/ depending on accent. The contrast between /ɒ/ in /dɒm/ and the fronted /ɪ/ in the middle can be tricky for speakers who balance vowel height and duration. Practicing controlled syllable-tapping and slow tempo helps.
In domino, the second syllable often contains a quick /mɪ/ or a reduced /mɪ/ followed by a final long vowel; ensure you don’t blend /mɪ/ with the final /noʊ/ too soon. Keeping the middle vowel clearly short helps prevent a slurred /ə/. IPA remains /ˈdɒm.ɪ.noʊ/ (US) or /ˈdɒm.ɪ.nəʊ/ (UK/AU), with a crisp separation between /mɪ/ and /noʊ/ to maintain intelligibility in rapid speech.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity? Actually domino is non-rhotic; note /ˈdɒm.ɪ.noʊ/ final is a clear diphthong /oʊ/. Mouth: start with a rounded /ɒ/ lip rounding; jaw low; tongue mid-back. - UK: /ˈdɒm.ɪ.nəʊ/ with a more centralized second syllable; final /əʊ/ is rounded and longer; keep /ɪ/ brief. - AU: /ˈdɒm.ɪ.nəʊ/ similar to UK but may be less tense on final; maintain crisp /ɒ/ initial and /ɪ/ in second, then /əʊ/; IPA guides: /ˈdɒm.ɪ.nəʊ/. Common pitfalls include overlengthening the final vowel or flattening the middle /ɪ/.
Domino entered English from the late 18th century, ultimately tracing to the French word domino, meaning a black hooded cloak worn by priests or a long hooded garment, and by extension to the Latin domino meaning ‘master of the house’ or ‘lord’. The domino tile itself likely derives from French dominos or dominos, echoing the mask-like black tiles used in 18th-century gaming sets and the sweeping resemblance of the two-faced tiles to a mask divided by a line. The earliest printed use of domino in English appears in the 18th century with references to the gaming tiles, and by the 19th century the game spread globally with regional variant sets. Over time, domino has taken on metaphorical meanings—most notably the “domino effect” describing sequential, cascading consequences in systems or social processes. The word’s dual sense of a physical tile and a metaphor for chain reactions underpins its widespread cultural resonance in gaming, politics, economics, and storytelling. The contraction and anglicization of the term align with other European tile games, while modern usage emphasizes both the gaming item and the sequential cause-and-effect concept in diverse domains.
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Words that rhyme with "domino"
-ino sounds
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