2 syllables: ex, cerpt. Stress on ex.
EK-surpt
/ˈɛksɚpt/
excerpt is pronounced EK-surpt (/ˈɛksɚpt/). It has two syllables (ex-cerpt), with the stress on "ex". An excerpt is a short passage taken from a larger work, such as a book, article, or speech. It functions as a representative sample, typically used to illustrate content, style, or argument without presenting the entire text. In discourse, excerpts are often quoted with attribution and concise context.
An excerpt is a short passage taken from a larger work, such as a book, article, or speech. It functions as a representative sample, typically used to illustrate content, style, or argument without presenting the entire text. In discourse, excerpts are often quoted with attribution and concise context.
"The excerpt from the novel gave readers a glimpse into the protagonist's inner thoughts."
"She read an excerpt aloud at the conference to illustrate the translator's choices."
"The editor published a brief excerpt to tease the full article."
Pronounce as /ˈekˌsɜːpt/ (US) or /ˈekˌsɜːpt/ (UK). The primary stress is on the first syllable: EX-cerpt, with a secondary, lighter stress on the middle /ɜr/ portion. Start with a short e as in “end,” glide into a mid-central vowel in the second syllable, and end with a voiceless /t/. For US listeners, the final t tends to be unreleased in rapid speech, sounding like /ˈekˌsɜrp/.
Common errors include misplacing stress (putting emphasis on -sure- or -pt), confusing the /ɜː/ with a pure /ɜː/ vowel in some dialects, and pronouncing the final cluster as /t/ with a heavy puff of air. Correction: keep primary stress on EX; use /ˈekˌsɜːpt/ and allow the final /t/ to be lightly released or unreleased /t/ depending on speed. Practice by saying EX- + /ˈsɜːpt/ quickly, ensuring the middle vowel is a rounded mid-central sound.
In US and UK it is typically /ˈekˌsɜːpt/ with secondary stress on the middle syllable. US often reduces the /ɜː/ to a more centralized /ɜr/ or /ɜːr/ depending on rhoticity; UK tends toward longer /ɜː/ quality; Australian tends to align with UK but with slight vowel shortening and a softer /t/ at the end. Overall, the rhotic American /ɜr/ quality may sound closer to /ɜːr/ in non-rhotic varieties. IPA: US /ˈɛkˌsɜrpt/ or /ˈekˌsɜrp t/ depending on speaker.
The difficulty comes from the mid-central vowel in the second syllable and the final consonant cluster /pt/. The /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ sound is not common in all dialects, and the final /pt/ cluster can be challenging to end cleanly with a light release. Also, the combination of stressed first syllable and the short, clipped second syllable makes it easy to misplace stress or slur the /k/ + /s/ transition. Practice tip: isolate the middle vowel, practice /ˈek/ + /ˌsɜː/ + /pt/ with slow to fast progression.
In excerpt, the 'x' acts as a cluster /k s/ rather than a single phoneme; the typical pronunciation is /ˈɛksɜrpt/ in some spellings. However, in many dialects, especially quick speech, it reduces to /ˈekˌsɜːpt/ with the /k/ and /s/ effects blending into the /ks/ sequence: /ˈek·sɜːpt/. This is not a separate /gz/ sound; you maintain a crisp /k/ to prevent a nasalization.
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Excerpt comes from Latin excerptus, past participle of excerpere, meaning “to pluck out, select.” The form ex- means “out,” while certe (from excertus) stems from the root cer- “to sift, select,” via French excerpe. In Latin, excerpere fused ex- (out) with cerpere (to pluck, pick). The term appeared in English in the 16th century, originally referring to selections culled from larger works, especially in scholarly or literary contexts. Over time, it broadened to cover any short passage selectively taken from longer texts, including speeches, reports, or musical scores. The word's pronunciation stabilized in modern English with the stress pattern on the second syllable: ex-CER-t. The semantic shift reflects a move from a physical act of plucking to a metaphorical act of choosing a representative fragment for analysis or quotation. The noun form remains common, though “extract” is also used as a synonym for such a selected portion. In contemporary usage, the term frequently appears in academic, publishing, and media contexts, indicating a brief excerpt rather than the entire work. First known use in the OED traces to around the 1500s, aligning with early Renaissance emphasis on textual curation and scholarly excerpting practices. Contemporary corpora show steady usage in literary criticism, journalism, and education, preserving its core sense of a carefully chosen segment.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "excerpt" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "excerpt" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "excerpt"
-ept sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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