2 syllables: fai, rest. Stress on fai.
FER-ist
/ˈfɛɹɪst/
fairest is pronounced FER-ist (/ˈfɛɹɪst/). It has two syllables (fai-rest), with the stress on "fai". Fairest is the superlative form of 'fair,' meaning most just or attractive; when used for people or things, it denotes the highest degree of fairness or beauty. In common usage, it can describe judgment, treatment, or appearance that is most unbiased or pleasing. The word blends the root with a standard superlative suffix, signaling peak degree within its positive meaning.
Fairest is the superlative form of 'fair,' meaning most just or attractive; when used for people or things, it denotes the highest degree of fairness or beauty. In common usage, it can describe judgment, treatment, or appearance that is most unbiased or pleasing. The word blends the root with a standard superlative suffix, signaling peak degree within its positive meaning.
- Misplacing stress to the second syllable, which makes it sound like ‘fAIR-est’ rather than FEER-est. - Slurring the final /st/ into a simple /s/ or /t/; you want a crisp /st/ onset with a quick /t/ release. - Vowel quality confusion: conflating /eə/ or /er/ into a single dull vowel; ensure the first syllable has a clear, tense vowel before the /ɪst/.
"The fairest judgment was delivered after a lengthy review."
"She wore the fairest gown at the gala, drawing everyone's gaze."
"Among all the candidates, he presented the fairest proposal possible."
/ˈfer.ɪst/ in US, /ˈfeə.rɪst/ in UK/AU. The stress is on the first syllable: FEER- (or FEAR) as in ‘fare’ with a short vowel glide into -ɪst. The final -est is /-ɪst/; keep the vowel short and the t crisp. For example: fairest (US) sounds like FEER-əst with a clear /ɪ/; in UK/AU it becomes FEER-as t with non-rhotic r, so FEER-ɪst after a longer vowel in some accents.
Mistaking the first syllable vowel as a long /eː/ in some accents; mixing up /r/ quality in non-rhotic varieties; and rushing the final /t/ leading to a /t/ or /d/ flap instead of a crisp /t/. Correct by using a clipped American 'fer' vs British 'feə' then an intentional short /ɪ/ before /st/. Practice with slow pronunciation: /ˈfer.ɪst/ or /ˈfeə.rɪst/ to ensure the final /st/ isn’t devoiced.
In US, the initial vowel is /ˈfer/ with rhotic /r/. In UK, non-rhotic or weakly rhotic accents render it as /ˈfeə.rɪst/ with a longer first vowel and a non-strong rhotic, leading to a more drawn-out 'feər'; Australian is similar to UK but often with a shorter /ə/ or /ɪ/ in rapid speech, and non-rhotic tendencies vary. Across these, the final /ɪst/ is consistent, but the vowel quality and rhotic presence differ.
Because of the combination of a stressed first syllable vowel with a short second syllable vowel and a final consonant cluster /st/. The /r/ in US is a prominent rhotic, while UK/AU may suppress it, changing the preceding vowel length. The transition between /fer/ or /feə/ and /ɪst/ requires precise tongue positioning and timing to avoid vowel merging or a slurred /t/. Focus on the flapped vs tapping /r/ and crisp /t/.
No silent letters; stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈfer.ɪst/ or /ˈfeə.rɪst/. The second syllable is unstressed, with a short vowel before the final /st/. Some rapid speech may reduce the first vowel slightly, but the primary stress does not shift. In careful speech, /ˈfer.ɪst/ is clear; in casual speech, you might hear /ˈfeərɪst/ with less pronounced /r/ in non-rhotic accents.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /r/ and short /ɪ/ before /st/. Improve by practicing /ˈfer.ɪst/ against /ˈfɪ.st/ minimal pairs. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; lengthen the first vowel slightly, avoid hard /r/. Practice /ˈfeə.rɪst/ with a light schwa in the middle for natural flow. - AU: often similar to UK with non-rhotic tendencies, but vowel heights can vary; aim for /ˈfeə.rɪst/ or /ˈfeər.ɪst/; keep final /st/ crisp.
The word fairest derives from Middle English faire, meaning beautiful or just, from Old French faire, from Latin facere ‘to make, do’ via fair in the sense of beautiful or righteous. The suffix -est marks the superlative degree in English, historically formed with -est or -st in older dialects. The superlative form emerged in Middle English and became standard in Early Modern English as comparative and superlative morphology stabilized. In semantic evolution, fairest broadened from “most beautiful” to also denote “most just” or “most favorable,” mirroring the broadening of fair itself from beauty to justice and equity. First known usage in recorded English dates to the 13th–14th centuries in writings that compare attributes such as beauty and justice, aligning with other superlatives formed with -est. Over centuries, fairest has remained a formal to neutral term, used in legal, literary, and everyday contexts to indicate peak level of fairness or attractiveness.
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Words that rhyme with "fairest"
-est sounds
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