3 syllables: Es, car, ole. Stress on Es.
ES-kuh-rohl
/ˈɛskəroʊl/
Escarole is pronounced ES-kuh-rohl (/ˈɛskəroʊl/). It has three syllables (Es-car-ole), with the stress on "Es". Escarole is a broad-leaf endive used in salads and cooking. It refers to a curly, pale-green lettuce with a slightly bitter, crisp texture. The word denotes a specific chicory variety often favored for its mild flavor and robust leaf structure in Mediterranean cuisine.
nounEscarole is a broad-leaf endive used in salads and cooking. It refers to a curly, pale-green lettuce with a slightly bitter, crisp texture. The word denotes a specific chicory variety often favored for its mild flavor and robust leaf structure in Mediterranean cuisine.
- You may misplace stress and say ES-kə-ROL or es-KA-roll. Fix by practicing the primary stress on ES and a light, quick second syllable leading into ROHL. - Final vowel intrusion: avoid turning /l/ into a vocalic 'ol' sound; keep it crisp: /roʊl/. - The middle 'ca' often becomes a clearly enunciated 'car' sound; practice a short, neutral /kə/ instead of /kɑː/ or /keɪ/.
"I added escarole to the pasta salad for a bitter, refreshing bite."
"The chef wilted escarole in olive oil as a simple side dish."
"We topped the soup with escarole and grated parmesan."
Escarole is pronounced /ˈɛskəˌroʊl/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable and a secondary rising vowel in the second (‘-roʊl’). In UK English you’ll hear /ˈɛskəˌrəʊl/, and in Australian English /ˈɛskəˌrɔːl/. Start with ES- as in 'escape,' then -ca- as a quick 'kuh' sound, and end with -role where the 'o' is a long vowel. Listen for a crisp, slightly clipped first syllable and a rounded, longer final vowel. Audio references: YouGlish and Forvo entries for escarole across accents show ES-kə-ROLE structure clearly.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the r-controlled vowel in -ar-; avoid saying 'esc-a-rol' with a weak rhotic. 2) Misplacing stress as ES-ka-role vs. ES-ka-ROLE; keep primary stress on the first syllable. 3) Prolonging the final vowel so it sounds like 'esc-a-roll' with a heavy -ol; aim for a precise final /l/ without unnecessary length. Corrections: emphasize the first syllable and keep the final /l/ crisp, and practice the sequence ES-kə-ROHL to fix the rhythm. IPA cues: US /ˈɛs.kəˌroʊl/; UK /ˈɛs.kəˌrəʊl/.
US English typically yields /ˈɛs.kəˌroʊl/ with a clear /roʊl/ ending and a rhotic /r/. UK English tends to /ˈɛs.kəˌrəʊl/ with a non-rotic or less rhotic influence, making the middle syllable less rhotic and the final vowel longer. Australian English sits between, often /ˈɛs.kəˌrɔːl/ with a rounded back vowel in the final syllable and a slightly less pronounced rhotic than US. The main differences lie in rhotic pronunciation of the r and the quality of the /oː/ vs /oʊ/ vowels. Audio comparisons show this shift clearly across dialects.
The difficulty comes from the three-syllable structure with a controlled vowel shift in the second syllable and the diphthong in the final syllable. The transition from the mid œ vowel to the final long o requires careful tongue position: a quick, light /ə/ in the second syllable, followed by a rounded /oʊ/ or /əʊ/. The 'ar' is not a strong American /ɑr/ but a short /ə/ followed by an /roʊl/; many speakers attempt to shorten or heavy the final vowel. Focus on the sequence ES-kə-ROHL and the exact mouth shapes for /roʊ/ vs /rəʊ/ across dialects.
A unique edge case: the second syllable 'ca' should be a weak schwa-like vowel (kə) rather than a clear 'ca' as in 'car.' This subtle reduction is crucial to sounding natural. Also ensure the final /l/ is not darkened into a vowel; keep it light and crisp. In rapid speech, you may hear a slight linking with the final consonant of the previous word, but avoid adding extra vowel before /roʊl/. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on /ˈɛs.kə/ versus /ˈɛs.kə.-rəʊl/.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is prominent; keep /roʊl/ with rounded lips. - UK: less rhotic; the /r/ in middle may be weakened; focus on /rəʊl/ with a crisp immediate glide. - AU: /r/ mild, vowel quality towards /ɔː/ or /əʊ/ depending on speaker; listen to regional vowel shifts and use IPA cues to adjust. - Mouth positions: front vowels for /ɛ/; central schwa for /ə/; lip rounding for /oʊ/; keep alveolar contact for /s/ and /z/? none. - Practice tips: mimic native speakers in YouGlish recordings and audio dictionaries; adjust to your own accent while retaining the core rhythm.
Escarole comes from the Italian word scarola, ultimately deriving from Latin scariola, a diminutive form of escariola, used to denote a type of chicory. The term entered English through culinary usage as Italian cooks popularized the plant in Mediterranean cuisine. The root escaro- traces to Latin as part of the genus Cichorium, the same family as endive, chicory, and dandelion. The evolution from a regional Italian vegetable name to a widely used English culinary term reflects historical food exchange, particularly in Italian-American cookery in the 19th and 20th centuries. First known English print usage of escarole dates to early 20th century cookbooks and menus describing salads and sautéed greens. Over time, the word has retained its primary botanical meaning while expanding into a generic label for broad-leaf endive varieties in global markets.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Escarole" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Escarole" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Escarole"
-ole sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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