2 syllables: eigh, ty. Stress on eigh.
AY-tee
/ˈeɪti/
eighty is pronounced AY-tee (/ˈeɪti/). It has two syllables (eigh-ty), with the stress on "eigh". Eighty is the numerical word for 80, pronounced as two syllables /ˈeɪ.ti/ in both US and UK English. It functions as a cardinal number and can also appear in phrases like “eighty percent.” The pronunciation features a stressed first syllable with a long a sound, followed by a light, unstressed final syllable, mirroring common patterns in number words.
Eighty is the numerical word for 80, pronounced as two syllables /ˈeɪ.ti/ in both US and UK English. It functions as a cardinal number and can also appear in phrases like “eighty percent.” The pronunciation features a stressed first syllable with a long a sound, followed by a light, unstressed final syllable, mirroring common patterns in number words.
- You may default to a long E in the first syllable, producing /ˈiːti/; instead, aim for /ˈeɪti/ with a clear /eɪ/ diphthong. - The second syllable is not an extra vowel; avoid adding an extra syllable like /-eet/ or /-ie/. Target a quick /ti/ release with a near-vowel /i/. - In fast speech, you might drop the initial strong onset; keep a crisp /eɪ/ onset and maintain contrast with nearby numbers like eight vs eighty. - Do not candy-coat the /t/ with a silent join; ensure the /t/ is released. - Be mindful of linking: when followed by a consonant, avoid tensing the whole tongue; maintain a relaxed oral posture for the second syllable.
"The concert starts at eighty minutes past the hour."
"She reached eighty on her birthday card."
"Eighty percent of the customers preferred the new model."
Say it as two syllables: /ˈeɪ.ti/. The first syllable contains the long A diphthong /eɪ/ as in 'day,' with primary stress on A. The second syllable is a short, light /ti/ with a quick T; often the vowel in /ti/ is reduced to a near-schwa in very rapid speech, but in careful speech you want a clean /i/ as in 'tea' to avoid ambiguity with 'ate-ty' slag. Practice matching the energy of the first syllable to a crisp ending. IPA: US/UK/AU all: /ˈeɪ.ti/.
Two common errors: (1) Treating the /eɪ/ as a pure long E /iː/ or as a lax /e/ leading to /ˈiːti/ or /ˈeɪti/ with reduced quality. (2) Over-articulating the second syllable by making /ti/ too long or adding a full vowel after the t, sounding like /ˈeɪ.tiː/ or /ˈeɪ.tɪ/. Correction: keep the second syllable short and light, ending with a crisp /i/ or near-palatal release, and maintain the /eɪ/ glide in the first syllable.
US/UK/AU share the /ˈeɪ.ti/ pattern, but variation lies in vowel length, rhoticity, and linking. US often has a twice-as-snappy /t/ release in hurried speech, UK tends toward a slightly crisper /t/ with shorter schwa-like closure in connected speech, and AU can be marginally broader with a more open /eɪ/ and a quicker tempo. The /ti/ may sound more dental in some dialects, and linking with following words like ‘eighty-one’ can affect rhythm and intonation. All share non-rhotic tendencies in most broad UK accents, but in GA/General Australian, you may hear a very clear, clipped final /i/.
The difficulty centers on the diphthong /eɪ/ in the first syllable and the brief, lightly released /ti/ in the second. Beginners often shorten the /eɪ/ or turn the second syllable into /tiː/ or /tɪ/. Carryover from other numbers ending in -ty can also blur the rhythm. Focus on a sharp onset of /eɪ/ and then a quick, clean /ti/ with just a touch of the tongue behind the teeth for the /t/ release, keeping the final vowel very light.
A distinctive feature is the compact two-syllable rhythm where the second syllable is notably lighter than the first. The /eɪ/ diphthong in the first syllable is a defining characteristic of many English numbers, requiring careful mouth shaping: high, front tongue position for the onset, then a smooth glide toward the lower position. The final /i/ should feel briefer than a full vowel, making the overall word brisk yet clear.
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- US: maintain rhoticity in continuous speech, but numbers like eighty often remain non-rhotic in isolation; precise /ˈeɪti/ with a crisp /t/ is key. - UK: release a slightly crisper final /ti/ with minimal vowel length; avoid overemphasizing the /t/ to prevent a staccato feel. - AU: a broader, more open /eɪ/ with a lighter second syllable; keep the diphthong dynamic and the final /i/ soft and quick. IPA references: US/UK/AU /ˈeɪ.ti/. - Common pitfalls include delaying the consonant release or turning the second syllable into /tiː/; focus on a short, light /ti/.
Eighty derives from Old English eightig (from eight, with the suffix -ig forming the numeral ‘eight-y’). The word evolved into eighti, then eightiġe (nominative/accusative plural form in some dialects), and eventually standardized as eighty. It is built from the root eight (from Proto-Germanic ahtwô) plus a suffix akin to -y that yields the adjective-like cardinal form. The sense has remained stable as a counting numeral for eight decades of ten, i.e., eight tens. In Middle English, references to the number were often spelled with variants such as eighti or eighty, reflecting phonetic spellings before standardization. First known uses appear in translations and chronicles dealing with numerals and ages; the exact earliest citation is diffuse across Old/Middle English texts, but by the early modern period the form eighty became the predominant spelling and pronunciation, aligning with other cardinal numbers formed with a final short i or y sound. Today, eighty sits in the common set of dense two-syllable numerals that remain unchanged in most dialects, with minimal variation in primary stress and vowel quality.
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Words that rhyme with "eighty"
-hty sounds
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