3 syllables: Du, pli, cate. Stress on Du.
DOO-pluh-kuht
/ˈdupləkət/
Duplicate is pronounced DOO-pluh-kuht (/ˈdupləkət/). It has three syllables (Du-pli-cate), with the stress on "Du". Duplicate (adj.) means existing in two corresponding or identical parts; used to describe something that is a copy or replica. In formal usage it often appears in business or tech contexts to describe paired or redundant items. The term implies sameness across two instances and can also convey simultaneity when paired with verbs like “instances.”.
adjectiveDuplicate (adj.) means existing in two corresponding or identical parts; used to describe something that is a copy or replica. In formal usage it often appears in business or tech contexts to describe paired or redundant items. The term implies sameness across two instances and can also convey simultaneity when paired with verbs like “instances.”
"The document you sent is a duplicate of the original file."
"We found a duplicate record in the database that must be merged."
"Each user has a duplicate key stored for backup purposes."
You say DU-pli-cate with primary stress on the first syllable. In IPA: US/UK/AU: /ˈduː.plɪ.kət/ or /ˈdjuː.plɪ.kət/ depending on speaker. Start with a long “oo” or “yoo” vowel, then a light ‘-pli-’ syllable, and end with a soft schwa + t. Mouth position: rounded lips for /uː/ or /juː/; keep the /pl/ cluster clear but brief vowel between. For clarity, think: “DOO-pli-kut.” Audio resources: you can listen to native pronunciations on Pronounce or Cambridge dictionaries and mimic the rhythm and stress.
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress on the second syllable (du-PLI-cate) or flattening to DU-pli-cate; (2) shortening the /uː/ to a short /u/ as in ‘du-puh-’; (3) confusing /kj/ cluster: ensure the /pl/ is heard before the /ɪ/; (4) ending with a hard ‘t’ instead of a light aspirated end. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable with a clear /ˈduː/ or /ˈdjuː/ onset, then pronounce /plɪ/ quickly, and finish with /kət/ with a soft, unreleased or lightly aspirated /t/. Practice slowly, then speed up while maintaining the same stresses and vowel lengths.
US: /ˈduː.plɪ.kət/ with a longer /uː/ and rhotic rless on the second syllable; UK: /ˈdjuː.plɪ.kət/ and typically less vowel reduction in fast speech; AU: similar to UK, but vowels can sound broader to some listeners, and Australians may slightly reduce the second syllable more in rapid speech. The key differences are initial vowel quality (/uː/ vs /juː/), and final /t/ release, which may be softer in informal speech. Listen for the diphthong on the first syllable and keep the /pl/ cluster crisp.
Two main challenges: the heavy first-syllable diphthong and the /pl/ consonant cluster following it. The /ˈduː/ or /ˈdjuː/ requires precise lip rounding and a smooth transition to /pl/. The final /kət/ demands light, short articulation of /k/ and a quick, almost silent /ə/ before the final /t/. People often misplace the stress, shorten the vowel, or make the /t/ too strong. Practicing with slow tempo and minimal pairs helps maintain consistent rhythm and accurate vowel length.
A notable feature is the initial long vowel /uː/ or /juː/, depending on speaker. Some speakers nasalize the /ɪ/ in the second syllable when speaking quickly, blurring to /djuːˈplɪkət/ or /ˈduː.plɪ.kət/ depending on dialect. The emphasis is on the first syllable, and the middle /plɪ/ should be a strong, clear transition to prevent blending with the final /kət/. Focus on keeping the first syllable longer than the others for natural rhythm.
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US/UK/AU differences: • US tends to maintain /ˈduː.plɪ.kət/ with a strong first vowel and a rhotic-sounding quality in connected speech. • UK often yields /ˈdjuː.plɪ.kət/, with a slightly more fronted /dʒ/ or /djuː/ onset depending on speaker. • AU mirrors UK but may slur vowels more in quick speech, giving /ˈdjuː.plɪ.kət/ with less vowel height distinction. IPA references anchor the vowel qualities: /uː/ vs /juː/ and /ə/ in the final syllable. Practical tips: keep the first syllable longer than the others, avoid over-compressing the middle /plɪ/, and finish with a light, barely aspirated /t/.
Duplicate comes from Latin duplicatus, past participle of duplicare “to double,” from duplex “twofold, double,” from duo “two” + plectere “to weave, plait.” The Latin root duplic-, meaning “twofold,” evolved into Old French duplicat, then Middle English in the 15th century as duplicate. It originally described things made twofold or with two identical parts. Over time, its use broadened to refer to copies or safety redundancies (as in data duplicates or duplicate keys). In modern English, duplicate functions as both an adjective (twofold, identical) and a noun (a duplicate of something). Its nuance shifted from literal twofoldness to the broader concept of exact copying, replication, or redundancy, especially in technical, administrative, or legal contexts. First known use in English traces to the 14th–15th centuries via Latin-influenced scholarly language; the sense of “copy” solidified in the late 19th and 20th centuries with the rise of data management and computing, reinforcing the word’s modern association with exact copies or replicas.
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Words that rhyme with "Duplicate"
-ute sounds
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