3 syllables: el, e, vate. Stress on el.
EL-uh-vayt
/ˈɛləˌveɪt/
elevate is pronounced EL-uh-vayt (/ˈɛləˌveɪt/). It has three syllables (el-e-vate), with the stress on "el". Elevate means to raise something to a higher position or level, or to lift one's mood, status, or function. It can describe physical lifting, improving quality or status, or uplifting emotions or thoughts. The term often implies deliberate, sustained upward movement or enhancement beyond the current level.
Elevate means to raise something to a higher position or level, or to lift one's mood, status, or function. It can describe physical lifting, improving quality or status, or uplifting emotions or thoughts. The term often implies deliberate, sustained upward movement or enhancement beyond the current level.
"The engineer plans to elevate the platform to meet accessibility standards."
"A good sermon can elevate the audience's spirits and inspire action."
"The company is attempting to elevate its brand through a new marketing strategy."
Pronounce as /ɪˈlɛv.eɪt/ (US) with primary stress on the second syllable. Start with a short lax initial /ɪ/, then /ˈlɛv/ with a clear /l/ and a short /ɛ/. The final /eɪt/ is a long diphthong. Mouth position: lips relaxed, tongue high-mid for /ɛ/ and glide into a high front position for /eɪ/. Listen for the sharp second syllable beat, then a bright final glide. Audio reference: consult Cambridge or Forvo for native speaker examples.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying /ɪˈlɛveɪ/ with primary stress on the first syllable), swallowing the /v/ into a /w/ or /b/ sound, and rushing the final /eɪt/ so it sounds like /eɪ/. Correction: hold the second syllable slightly longer and clearly articulate /v/ as a voiced labiodental fricative. Ensure the final /eɪt/ is a distinct diphthong rather than a clipped /eɪ/ or /t/ only. Practicing in slow tempo helps refine the /l/ and /v/ transition.
In US/UK/AU, the primary stress remains on the second syllable: e-LEV-ate. The /l/ and /v/ are consistent, but vowel quality differs: US often has a slightly lighter /ɪ/ at the start, UK may use a shorter /ɪ/ and crisper /eɪ/; AU tends toward a flatter /eɪ/ with less diphthongal movement. Rhoticity is generally not a major factor in this word; rhotics don’t change the vowel of the stressed syllable, but non-rhotic accents may de-emphasize post-vocalic r-like cues in surrounding words.
Difficulties include maintaining correct syllable stress on the second syllable, producing a clear /v/ between dense vowel transitions, and executing the /eɪt/ ending as a distinct, full diphthong without shortening it. Beginners often reduce the middle /e/ or run the final /t/ into a stop, creating /-eɪ/ or /-ət/. Focus on the balance of lip tension for /v/ and a crisp glide into /eɪt/. IPA cues: /ɪˈlɛv.eɪt/.
The word uniquely blends a stressed mid-central onset with a voiced labiodental fricative and a rising diphthong at the end. It often triggers learners to mis-stress or misarticulate the /v/ and the /eɪt/; keeping the careful sequence /lɛv/ + /eɪt/ helps. The shift from /ɪ/ to /ɛ/ in the first vowel and maintaining a clear /v/ are distinctive challenges.
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Elevate comes from the Latin elevatus, past participle of elevare, meaning to lift up. Elevare merges e- (a variant of ex-, meaning out of) with levare (to raise, lift, lighten). The Latin root lev- or levis (light) is common in English words related to lifting or lightness. The word entered Middle English via Old French elevier or eslevier, reflecting the era’s French influence on scientific and rhetorical vocabulary. In English, elevate has retained its core sense of lifting to a higher position or status, expanding metaphorically to raise emotions, status, or quality. First known use dates back to the 16th century, with early senses tied to lifting or raising physically, and later to figurative uplift (morale, status, intellect). By the 18th and 19th centuries, elevated language and elevated design or mood became common collocations, aligning with social and technological progress and the growth of professional discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "elevate" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "elevate"
-ate sounds
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