3 syllables: El, e, gy. Stress on El.
EL-uh-jee
/ˈɛləˌdʒi/
Elegy is pronounced EL-uh-jee (/ˈɛləˌdʒi/). It has three syllables (El-e-gy), with the stress on "El". Elegy is a noun referring to a poem or song written in lament for the dead. It can also denote a mournful or reflective piece of art more generally. In literature and speech, it often conveys sorrow, remembrance, and tribute, typically with a formal or elevated register.
nounElegy is a noun referring to a poem or song written in lament for the dead. It can also denote a mournful or reflective piece of art more generally. In literature and speech, it often conveys sorrow, remembrance, and tribute, typically with a formal or elevated register.
- Mistake: Over-emphasizing the middle syllable, making EL-e-gee sound like a three-stressed word. Correction: maintain strong onset on EL, keep the middle syllable light and quick, and end with a crisp /dʒi/ instead of a drawn-out /ji/. - Mistake: Pronouncing -gy as /gɪ/ or /gji/. Correction: use /dʒi/ (like the j in judge) to form the final syllable without extra g-ness. - Mistake: Misplacing stress on second syllable (e-LE-gy). Correction: keep stress on first syllable, /ˈɛlɪdʒi/. - Mistake: Vowel clash in the middle /ɪ/ vs /i/. Correction: keep the middle vowel short and lax /ɪ/; don’t lengthen it. - Mistake: Final vowel coloration varies with speaker; aim for a clear /i/ rather than a schwa.
How to Pronounce Elegy
"The poet read an elegy at the memorial service."
"Her last collection includes an elegy for a friend who passed away."
"The documentary closes with an elegy to lost hometowns and childhoods."
Pronounce as EL-uh-jee. IPA US/UK: /ˈɛlɪdʒi/. The primary stress sits on the first syllable: /ˈɛl/. The second syllable contains a short i sound /ɪ/, and the final -gy is /dʒi/ like the j in
Common errors: treating -gy as 'g ee' or 'jee' with a hard g; misplacing stress on the second syllable; pronouncing the middle vowel too long. Correction: stress the first syllable /ˈɛlɪdʒi/, keep /ɪ/ short in the second syllable, and end with /dʒi/ as in 'edge-yea' without elongating the final vowel.
In US/UK/AU, the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈɛlɪdʒi/. Vowel qualities shift slightly: US may have a slightly tenser /ɛ/; UK often a somewhat broader /eɪ/ in some speakers though standard is /ˈɛlɪdʒi/; AU tends toward similar vowels as UK but may be slightly flatter. The final /i/ tends to be a clear 'ee' sound in all variants.
Two challenges: the /dʒ/ sound at the onset of the final consonant cluster and the short lax /ɪ/ in the middle syllable paired with a trailing /i/. Some speakers misplace the /dʒ/ as /j/ or confuse /ˈɛlɪ/ with /ˈeɪlɪ/. Articulation tip: start with a crisp /ɛ/ vowel, then quickly move to /l/ with a light alveolar glide into /dʒ/ for the 'j' sound, finishing with /i/.
Elegy always carries initial primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈɛl/; the second syllable is unstressed with a short /ɪ/; the final syllable carries a voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/ followed by /i/. The rhythm is a trochaic pattern (strong-weak-weak). Keep the first beat strong and smoothly connect to the middle and ending.
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- US: Rhoticity affects the 'r' is not involved here, but some speakers may have a slightly more open /ɛ/; maintain /ˈɛlɪdʒi/ with a crisp ending. - UK: Slightly more clipped final /i/; keep the middle /ɪ/ and avoid drawing out the end; vowel qualities can be a touch more centralized. - AU: Similar to UK/US; avoid overly stretched vowels; keep the final /i/ bright and short. IPA references: /ˈɛlɪdʒi/ across variants, with minor vowel shifts and final vowel realisation.
Elegy originates from the Greek holegion via Latin elegia, meaning a poetic composition sung to a mournful tune. The Greek term originally described a mournful or reflective lyric, often sung with a flute or lyre. In Latin, elegia maintained the lamenting sense and broadened to denote a poem expressing sorrow for the dead or memory of the departed. Throughout English, the term evolved to a defined literary genre: a meditative piece, typically formal and somber, commemorating loss. The earliest English uses appear in early modern poetry, aligning with classical forms. By the 17th and 18th centuries, elegies became a recognized genre of elegiac couplets and later free verse lamentations. In modern usage, elegy can describe any mournful or commemorative poem or song, sometimes used more broadly for reflective, sorrowful art. The term thus traveled from ancient Greek lyric tradition into European literary practice, preserving its core association with loss, memory, and tribute across languages and time.
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Words that rhyme with "Elegy"
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