3 syllables: Ef, ful, gence. Stress on ful.
if-UHL-juhns
/ɪˈfʌldʒəns/
Effulgence is pronounced if-UHL-juhns (/ɪˈfʌldʒəns/). It has three syllables (Ef-ful-gence), with the stress on "ful". Effulgence refers to a brilliant radiance or shining forth; a radiant, dazzling brightness that seems to emanate from an object or scene. It often conveys a sense of splendor and fullness of light, sometimes metaphorically describing brilliance of expression or idea. The term is formal and literary, typically used in elevated writing or poetry.
nounEffulgence refers to a brilliant radiance or shining forth; a radiant, dazzling brightness that seems to emanate from an object or scene. It often conveys a sense of splendor and fullness of light, sometimes metaphorically describing brilliance of expression or idea. The term is formal and literary, typically used in elevated writing or poetry.
"The effulgence of the sunrise filled the valley with a gold-and-pink glow."
"Her presence had an effulgence that lit up the room, drawing everyone’s attention."
"The cathedral’s stained glass projected effulgence across the nave."
Effulgence is pronounced /ɪˈfʌl.dʒəns/ in US and UK, with three syllables: e- FUL -gence. The primary stress lands on the second syllable, 'FUL'. The middle consonant cluster is a light, /l/ followed by /dʒ/ (like 'j' in 'judge'), and the final -gence sounds as /dʒəns/. Tips: keep the second syllable clearly separate from the first and third; avoid a long pause between syllables. An audio reference can help you hear the /ɪ/ at the start and the /dʒ/ before /əns/.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the second syllable or misplacing stress (saying e-FUL-gence). 2) Merging /dʒ/ with /l/ or making /l/ too light, producing 'ef-ulgence'. 3) Transforming /ɪ/ to a schwa or mispronouncing the final -gence as -juns. Corrections: emphasize the /ɪ/ in the first, place primary stress on the second syllable /ˈfʌl/; articulate /dʒ/ clearly before the final /əns/, and end with a crisp /ns/ instead of a lingering /z/ or /s/.
US/UK share /ɪˈfʌl.dʒəns/ with the /ˈfʌl/ stress pattern; rhoticity doesn’t change vowel in this word. In some UK varieties, vowel length or quality can be slightly crisper; the /dʒ/ may be a touch more palate-anchored, and the final /əns/ can be realized as a lighter /əns/ or near-syllabic /ns/. In Australian English, you may hear a slightly broader /ɪ/ and a more open /æ/ in related words, but Effulgence remains three syllables with the same stress on the second syllable and the /dʒ/ clearly audible. Overall, the core pattern /ɪˈfʌl.dʒəns/ remains stable across these accents.
It's challenging due to the rare combination of a front vowel onset /ɪ/ plus the heavy stress on a mid syllable /ˈfʌl/ and the affricate /dʒ/ linking to the unstressed final /əns/. The sequence /l.dʒ/ requires precise tongue height and contact, and the final /əns/ demands keeping the schwa-light while ending with a voiced/voiceless nasal-sibilant blend. Learners often misplace stress, reduce the /ɪ/ to a schwa in the first syllable, or blur the /dʒ/ with /ʒ/. Slow practice with focused tongue positioning helps fix these traits.
Yes: prioritize the middle syllable with a crisp 'ful' (/fʌl/). The /dʒ/ should be a clear, brief transition from the /l/ to the /ə/; do not allow the /l/ to carry into the /dʒ/. Think of it as e- FUL - jen(t) with a clean /dʒ/ onset before the final /əns/. Practice saying 'effluence' in isolation to feel the mouth position for the /fʌl/ then attach the /dʒəns/ with a quick, controlled release.
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Effulgence comes from the Latin effulgent- from effulgēre, meaning to shine forth or to beam out. effulgēre is formed from ex- ‘out’ + fulge- ‘shine, flash,’ from the Proto-Italic root *fulg- meaning ‘to strike with light’ and related to fulgor ‘brightness’ and fulgene ‘gleam.’ The first element ex- stresses outward movement; fulgent relates to shining. The term entered English via Latin in the late medieval/early modern period, maintaining its grand, poetic sense. Its modern usage preserves the sense of luminous splendor or radiant brilliance—often used metaphorically to describe an idea, personality, or scene as intensely bright or resplendent. Historically, effulgence appeared in scholarly, religious, and literary contexts to convey awe or splendor, translating the Latin phrase ‘effulgens’ into English as a single noun denoting radiant quality. The word maintains a high-register flavor, rarely used in everyday speech unless aiming for elevated or dramatic effect, and it frequently collocates with terms like light, radiance, brightness, and blaze. In contemporary prose, it preserves its sense of a striking, outward shine that commands attention and admiration.
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Words that rhyme with "Effulgence"
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