4 syllables: Ex, or, bit, ant. Stress on or.
ig-ZAWR-bit-uhnt
/ɪˈɡzɔɹbɪtənt/
Exorbitant is pronounced ig-ZAWR-bit-uhnt (/ɪˈɡzɔɹbɪtənt/). It has four syllables (Ex-or-bit-ant), with the stress on "or". Exorbitant is an adjective describing an amount or price that is unreasonably high or excessive. It conveys a sense of extreme overpricing or extent beyond what is fair or affordable. The term emphasizes outward excess rather than necessity, often implying criticism or surprise. Typically used for monetary costs, fees, or expectations that surpass what is appropriate in a given context.
adjectiveExorbitant is an adjective describing an amount or price that is unreasonably high or excessive. It conveys a sense of extreme overpricing or extent beyond what is fair or affordable. The term emphasizes outward excess rather than necessity, often implying criticism or surprise. Typically used for monetary costs, fees, or expectations that surpass what is appropriate in a given context.
How to Pronounce Exorbitant
"The restaurant charged an exorbitant price for the bottled water."
"Junior engineers were frustrated by exorbitant licensing fees."
"Tourists complained about exorbitant hotel rates during the conference."
Pronounce it as /ɪɡˈzɔːrbɪtənt/ (US/UK/AU share the core). Stress falls on the second syllable: ex-OR-bi-tant. Start with a short “ih” sound, then an elongated “zor” with a rounded mouth, followed by a light “bi” and a final soft “tahnt.” Mouth positions: lips rounded for the /ɔː/ vowel, tongue slightly back for /zɔːr/, then light onset for the /t/ and the schwa-ish ending /ənt/. See audio guides for nuances.
Common mistakes: (1) Misplacing stress—treating the word as ex-OR-bi-tant instead of ex-OR-bi-tant (stress on the second syllable). (2) Slurring the /ɔːr/ into a simple /ɔ/ or /oʊ/; ensure the /ɔːr/ is a rhotic syllable with a light /r/ coloring in non-rhotic accents. (3) Dropping the final /nt/ or making it /t/; keep the coda nasal and the voiceless /n/ cleanly released. Practice with the slow-deliberate pronunciation: ex-OR-bi-tənt, then add the final /nt/ crisply.
In US and UK English, the core is /ɪɡˈzɔːr.bɪ.tənt/ with a rhotic /r/ in American pronunciation; UK tends to a slightly less released /r/ and a shorter /ɔː/ before /r/ in some dialects. Australian English resembles UK vowels but often features a stronger final schwa and a less-tensed /ɪ/ in the first syllable. The main differences are rhotacization of the /r/ in American speech and vowel quality: /ɔː/ vs. a shorter /ɒ/ in some British varieties. Listen to native samples for subtle shifts.
Three challenges: (1) The /ɔːr/ sequence requires precise tongue backing and an audible /r/ coloring in rhotic accents, which can feel awkward if you’re not used to linking /ɔː/ to /r/. (2) The stress pattern ex-OR-bi-tant; many learners misplace stress early or uniformly, diluting the second syllable’s emphasis. (3) Ending cluster /nt/ can be tricky with a light laryngeal stop; keep a clean release and avoid a trailing /t/ without the /n/.
Yes—note the potential for a light vowel change in rapid speech: some speakers reduce /ɪɡˈzɔːr.bɪ.tənt/ to /ɪɡˈzɔːr.bən(t)/ with a muted final syllable in casual speech. Still, careful pronunciation retains the /t/ and /nt/ clarity in formal contexts. Mind the transition from /z/ to /r/ in the middle, ensuring the /z/ and /ɔːr/ form a crisp, smooth digraph before the /b/ onset.
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Exorbitant comes from late Latin exorbitant- (stem of exorbitāre), from ex- ‘out of, beyond’ + orbat- ‘to bend, bend out of shape’ (from orbus ‘orphan, naked, bare’ in the classical sense of something beyond the usual bounds). The sense shift began in legal and philosophical Latin to denote “beyond the proper bounds” and “excessive.” The word entered English in the 14th–15th centuries via Old French orberaunt or exorbitant, retaining a sense of excess or stretching beyond a prescribed limit. In medieval and early modern usage, it often described imprudent speculation or exorbitant claims, with later centuries tightening to monetary overpricing. By the 19th and 20th centuries, exorbitant became a common descriptor across finance, commerce, and everyday critique, maintaining its core idea of extreme excess beyond reasonable limits. First known uses appear in Latin legal and rhetorical texts, moving into Norman French and then English as a formal term for excess and overreach. Today, it carries a strong evaluative tone, signaling disapproval of the magnitude of a cost, demand, or expectation.
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Words that rhyme with "Exorbitant"
-ant sounds
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