One syllable: Eighth.
aytth
/eɪtθ/
Eighth is pronounced aytth (/eɪtθ/). It has one syllable (Eighth), with the stress on "Eighth". Eighth is the ordinal form of eight, used to indicate the position in a sequence (the number after seventh). In everyday language it functions as an adjective or noun (as in “the eighth note”). It denotes one of eight equal parts and is commonly encountered in music, mathematics, and ordering tasks. The word centers on a short /ɪ/ vowel followed by a weak /θ/ and a final /θ/ or /t/ sound depending on dialect.
adjectiveEighth is the ordinal form of eight, used to indicate the position in a sequence (the number after seventh). In everyday language it functions as an adjective or noun (as in “the eighth note”). It denotes one of eight equal parts and is commonly encountered in music, mathematics, and ordering tasks. The word centers on a short /ɪ/ vowel followed by a weak /θ/ and a final /θ/ or /t/ sound depending on dialect.
"She finished in eighth place after a tight race."
"The eighth note lasts half as long as a quarter note in that measure."
"Write the eighth page in your draft before moving on."
Pronounce it as two sounds: /ˈeɪ/ (the long A as in eight) followed by /θ/ (the voiceless dental fricative as in thin). The combination yields /ˈeɪθ/. In careful speech, you may hear a brief light release before the final /θ/. The stress falls on the first syllable. If your dialect blends the /θ/, ensure your tongue lightly touches the upper teeth with breath through the teeth. Audio reference: try Cambridge dictionary or Forvo rendering: /ˈeɪθ/ or /ˈeɪθ/ depending on speaker.
Common errors include confusing /eɪθ/ with /eɪt/ (dropping the dental fricative) and substituting /t/ for /θ/ in rapid speech. Some speakers voice the /θ/ as /ð/ in casual speech, producing /ˈeɪð/. Others misplace the tongue, producing a dental-lisp or a hard /t/ release. To correct: keep the tongue tip at the upper teeth, blow a gentle air stream for /θ/, and avoid over-voicing the anxiety sound. Practice with minimal pairs and slow articulation to solidify the /θ/.
In US English, the /θ/ remains unvoiced after /eɪ/ with no extra vowel; the syllable is stressed: /ˈeɪθ/. UK English often mirrors US, but you may hear stronger dental friction and slight tooth contact; some speakers reduce to /ˈeɪf/ in very rapid speech, though less typical. Australian English tends to be similar to UK/US, with slightly broader vowel quality in /eɪ/, and occasional aspiration on the /θ/. All varieties retain the two-consonant sequence /θ/ after the vowel.
The challenge lies in the dental fricative /θ/, a sound not universally used across languages, requiring precise tongue placement at the upper teeth with airflow. The cluster /eɪθ/ demands maintaining the long vowel while not letting the /θ/ blend into a /t/ or /s/—a fine motor control task for many learners. Additionally, rapid speech can trigger the /θ/ to weaken or disappear, so deliberate practice helps you retain the distinct dental fricative and clean final stop.
There are no silent letters in 'eighth' in standard pronunciation; the feature to note is that the /eɪ/ vowel is a diphthong, and the stress remains on the first syllable. The ending /θ/ is not silent; it must be audible as a voiceless dental fricative. In careful speech you might hear a brief release before the /θ/; in very casual speech you could get a weakened /θ/ or a quick /t/ substitution, but ideal standard pronunciation keeps /ˈeɪθ/.
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- US: /ˈeɪθ/ with clear unvoiced /θ/ after the diphthong; keep the /eɪ/ tense and short before /θ/. - UK: similar, but you may notice slightly stronger dental friction; maintain crisp /θ/ articulation. - AU: generally similar to US/UK; vowels may be broader, but /θ/ remains unvoiced. - Tips: use IPA landmarks: /eɪ/ glide, then dental place; feel air through teeth; avoid lip rounding that slightly alters the sound.
Eighth comes from Old English eighfta, from eiġe (eight) plus -fta, an ordinal suffix derivationally related to -theod or -þa in Germanic languages. The term traces back to Proto-Germanic *aita- or *eginþa, evolving through Old English eighta and later Middle English eighþe, with spelling stabilization in Early Modern English. The core semantic shift centers on denoting one multiple of the base unit eight in a sequence. Its usage expanded from basic counting to indicate ordinal position in lists, fractions, and musical timing. The form mirrors other ordinals in English that attach a consistent suffix to a cardinal, with spelling and pronunciation influenced by cluster simplification and assimilation (e.g., the th- cluster after the i- vowel) over centuries. First documented usages appear in legal, mathematical, and musical texts of the late medieval to early modern periods, reflecting standardized measurement and notation practices that rely on precise ordinal designation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Eighth" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Eighth" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Eighth"
-ath sounds
-eth sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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