2 syllables: Gut, tate. Stress on Gut.
GUHT-ayt
/ˈɡʌteɪt/
Guttate is pronounced GUHT-ayt (/ˈɡʌteɪt/). It has two syllables (Gut-tate), with the stress on "Gut". Guttate is an adjective describing something that is shed in drops or small droplets. In medical contexts it can refer to lesions or skin patterns appearing as droplets. The term conveys a sense of dispersed, bead-like form, often used in dermatology or pathology to emphasize small, scattered droplets or droplets-like features.
adjectiveGuttate is an adjective describing something that is shed in drops or small droplets. In medical contexts it can refer to lesions or skin patterns appearing as droplets. The term conveys a sense of dispersed, bead-like form, often used in dermatology or pathology to emphasize small, scattered droplets or droplets-like features.
"The guttate rash appeared as numerous tiny red droplets across the trunk."
"Dermatologists noted guttate lesions following the infection."
"She described a guttate pattern of droplets on the glass after the rain."
Guttate is pronounced with stress on the first syllable: /ˈɡʌtˌeɪt/. Start with a hard G as in go, follow with a short, open /ʌ/ vowel, then a light, distinct /t/ and a final /eɪt/ as in eight. IPA guidance: US /ˈɡʌtˌeɪt/, UK /ˈɡʌtəˌt/, AU /ˈɡʌtəˌt/. Mouth position: hard G, relaxed jaw after /ɡ/, the /t/ is a crisp release, final diphthong /eɪ/ slides to /t/ closure.
Common mistakes: conflating /t/ and /d/ due to flapping in some dialects, and misplacing the stress or blending /t/ into a soft /ɾ/. Correction: clearly separate the /t/ with a brief aspiration, keep the /eɪt/ as a distinct diphthong after the /t/, and maintain initial strong /ɡ/ onset. Practice by isolating syllables: /ˈɡʌt/ + /eɪt/, then combine slowly.
US: /ˈɡʌtˌeɪt/, with strong /ɡ/ and pronounced /eɪt/. UK: /ˈɡʌtəˌt/, more syllabic /t/ and a slightly lighter /eɪt/ at end. AU: /ˈɡʌtəˌt/ similar to UK but with a more centralized vowel quality and non-rhoticity affecting surrounding vowels. Overall, rhoticity mainly affects surrounding words; the target keeps the primary stress on the first syllable in all. Ensure you don’t reduce /t/ into a tap across dialects.
Two main challenges: the second syllable /ˈeɪt/ is a tight, trailing diphthong that can run into the following /t/ if spoken quickly; and the sequence /t eɪ/ requires precise timing so the /eɪ/ doesn’t slide into a reduced vowel. Also, the initial /ɡ/ can be softened in casual speech. Focus on enforcing a clear /t/ release and maintaining a firm /eɪ/ before the /t/.
The pairing of a strong initial /ɡ/ with a following stressed diphthong /eɪ/ often leads to tension between syllables. You’ll often hear listeners misplace stress or mispronounce as /ˈɡʊˌteɪt/; the correct approach keeps /ʌ/ as the nucleus after /ɡ/ and ensures the /t/ release sits between the stressed and unstressed components. Practicing the inter-syllabic boundary helps.
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Guttate comes from the Latin guttatus, meaning "spotted with droplets" or "droplet-laden." Guttus means "a drop" or "guttare" to drop. In medical Latin, guttatus acquired a precise sense related to small, bead-like or drop-like formations, as in dermatology or pathology descriptions. The word entered English in the late 19th or early 20th century during the expansion of medical terminology, often via translations of European medical texts. While related to guttus (drop) and the English root -ate (forming adjectives indicating a state or condition), guttate has specialized usage to describe patterns or lesions that resemble or consist of small droplets. Over time, it broadened from purely dermatological descriptors to any context where a beaded, droplet-like appearance is notable, including plant, mineral, or fluid pattern descriptions. The nuance of “small, discrete droplets” remains central to its modern usage, maintaining a precise, diagnostic tone across disciplines.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Guttate" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Guttate"
-ate sounds
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