3 syllables: El, o, quent. Stress on El.
EL-uh-kwuhnt
/ˈɛləkwənt/
Eloquent is pronounced EL-uh-kwuhnt (/ˈɛləkwənt/). It has three syllables (El-o-quent), with the stress on "El". Eloquent is a noun meaning a person who speaks with fluency and persuasive power, or a piece of language that is fluent and well-expressed. It denotes clear, expressive, and convincing speech or writing. In context, an eloquent speaker uses precise vocabulary, rhythm, and intonation to persuade or move an audience. It conveys sophistication in articulation and argument.
nounEloquent is a noun meaning a person who speaks with fluency and persuasive power, or a piece of language that is fluent and well-expressed. It denotes clear, expressive, and convincing speech or writing. In context, an eloquent speaker uses precise vocabulary, rhythm, and intonation to persuade or move an audience. It conveys sophistication in articulation and argument.
"- The eloquent orator moved the crowd with his carefully crafted rhetoric."
"- Her eloquent prose captured the complexities of the issue with clarity."
"- He was an eloquent defender of civil rights, speaking with passion and precision."
Pronounce as EL-ə-kwənt with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈɛl.ə.kwənt/. First syllable is a short E as in “bet,” the middle syllable is a schwa, and the final syllable contains /kwənt/ with a light, quick -t ending. You’ll want a clean onset for /ˈɛl/ and a brief, relaxed /ə/ before the /kw/ cluster. Audio examples: reference standard dictionaries or pronunciation tutorials for exact cadence.
Common errors: 1) Skipping the initial E sound or turning it into “ee-LOH-,” which changes the rhythm. 2) Misplacing the /w/; some say /ˈɛl.ə.lwo͞nt/ or insert an extra vowel before /kw/. 3) Omitting the schwa in the middle: say /ˈɛl.ə.kwənt/ rather than /ˈɛl.lok.wənt/. Correction tips: keep /ˈɛl/ crisp, insert a quick /ə/ before /kw/ and maintain a light final /ənt/ with a soft t. Practice with slow, deliberate transitions between /ˈɛl/ and /ə.kw/.
US/UK/AU all share /ˈɛl.ə.kwənt/, but vowel length and quality can vary. US often has a slightly broader /ɛ/ in the first vowel; UK may have crisper /ˈɛl/ with non-rhotic tendencies keeping /r/ silent; AU tends toward a flatter, centralized vowel before /kwənt/ and a smooth linking /ə/ in the second syllable. The /kw/ cluster remains stable, and rhotacization is minimal in all three, though American speakers may subtly project the /r/ in connected speech more than UK/AU.
Two main challenges: the early /ˈɛl/ onset requires crisp articulation and avoiding a drawled 'ee-LO-'; and the /ˈɪ/ vs /ə/ drift in the middle can blur. The /kw/ cluster after a schwa is quick and can blend with the final /ənt/, making the final -ent sound flimsy. Additionally, maintaining stress on the first syllable while preserving a smooth transition into the consonant cluster can be tricky in fast speech.
A unique angle is balancing the syllable boundary between /ˈel/ and /ə/; many learners insert an extra vowel or carry over a ‘l’ sound into the /kw/ cluster. Focus on a clean onset /ˈɛl/ and a quick, almost imperceptible /ə/ before /kw/ to keep the rhythm natural. Also, ensure the final /t/ is light and not swallowed; a clipped /t/ keeps the word from sounding drawn out.
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Eloquent comes from Latin eloquent- ‘eloquens,’ present participle of eloqui, meaning ‘to speak out, to declare clearly.’ The verb stem eloqui combines ‘e’ (out) and ‘loqui’ (to speak). In Late Latin, eloquens described someone who speaks well. In Old French, eloquent was introduced as eloquent, then into Middle English with a meaning aligned to fluent, persuasive speech. Across its journey, the term extended beyond oratory to denote writing that is vividly expressive. The sense of “well-spoken” as a quality of both speech and prose emerged by the 16th century, consolidating into a common adjective and noun in English. While the adjective form “eloquent” is most common today, historical usage sometimes framed eloquence as a virtue tied to rhetoric, moral persuasion, and refined diction, reflecting classical ideals of eloquence from Cicero and Quintilian. First known uses appear in medieval texts discussing eloquence in rhetoric and lawful advocacy, gradually shifting toward everyday praise of fluent expression in political, literary, and academic discourse.
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Words that rhyme with "Eloquent"
-let sounds
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