3 syllables: heart, i, ly. Stress on heart.
HAHR-tuh-lee
/ˈhɑɹtəli/
heartily is pronounced HAHR-tuh-lee (/ˈhɑɹtəli/). It has three syllables (heart-i-ly), with the stress on "heart". Heartily means in a wholehearted, vigorous, and sincere manner; with strong energy and enthusiasm. It conveys wholehearted involvement or genuine feeling, typically expressed through lively actions or expressions. The term implies fullness of effort and sincerity rather than mere superficiality.
Heartily means in a wholehearted, vigorous, and sincere manner; with strong energy and enthusiasm. It conveys wholehearted involvement or genuine feeling, typically expressed through lively actions or expressions. The term implies fullness of effort and sincerity rather than mere superficiality.
- You often mispronounce the first syllable by omitting the rhotic /r/ or muting the /r/; ensure the /r/ is voiced and connected to the preceding vowel. - You may reduce the second syllable to a schwa or skip it; practice maintaining a distinct /tə/ and avoid excessive reduction. - You might blend /t/ with the following /l/ or /i/ in fast speech; clearly release the /t/ and then articulate /li/.
"She laughed heartily at the joke, slapping her knee in delight."
"The crowd cheered heartily as the team returned to the field."
"He apologized heartily and promised to make amends."
Pronounce it as /ˈhɑːr.tə.li/ in US/UK English; the first syllable has a long /ɑː/ vowel with an /r/ after it, the second is a light /tə/ and the final is /li/ where /l/ is clear. Stress falls on the first syllable. Mouth position: start with an open jaw for /hɑːr/, press the tongue to the alveolar ridge for /r/, then relax to /tə/ and finish with a crisp /li/. You’ll hear the emphasis on the initial syllable and a smooth, unstressed final two.
Common errors: (1) Dropping the /r/ in rhotic accents, making it say /ˈhɑː.tə.li/ without /r/. Correction: keep the rhotic /r/ sound between the vowel and /t/. (2) Reducing /ˈhɑːr/ into /ˈhɑː/ or misplacing the stress, like /ˈhɑːr.tɪ.li/; correction: maintain primary stress on the first syllable and preserve /r/ and the /t/ consonant. (3) Slurring /t/ into /d/ or a flap; correction: clearly articulate /t/ between /r/ and /ə/. (4) Over-aspirating the /h/ or blending into a weak vowel; correction: gentle, controlled /h/ at onset, not a full breathy start.
US/UK accents share /ˈhɑːr.tə.li/ with rhotic distinction; US may show tighter /r/ and clearer articulation of /t/, while UK non-rhotic speakers might have a softer /r/ or link to following vowel in connected speech. Australian tends to have a broader vowel in the first syllable and a lighter /t/ or a flap in casual speech, with less pronounced /r/ in some dialects; however, careful speakers maintain /r/ in careful enunciation. IPA mirrors /ˈhɑːr.tə.li/ with local vowel adjustments.
The word challenges you with the rhotic /r/ between a broad /ɑː/ vowel and a voiceless /t/; many learners struggle to articulate /r/ smoothly before a syllabic /t/ and to maintain the short /ə/ in the second syllable. The final /li/ demands a clean L and a light, unstressed syllable. Mastery requires precise tongue root retraction for /r/, controlled /t/ release, and avoiding vowel reduction that flattens the second syllable.
Heartily features a three-syllable rhythm with an initial stressed syllable, mid /tə/ and final /li/. The challenge lies in maintaining a crisp /t/ immediately after /r/, and ensuring the /r/ is not silent in rhotic contexts, while keeping the unstressed second syllable light. Focus on a steady alveolar flap transition ending in a clear /li/.
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- US: rhotic /r/, crisp /t/; make sure /ɑː/ is open and long. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; ensure /r/ is weaker, but still pronounce in careful speech; keep /t/ clear. - AU: /ɑː/ vowel quality varies; keep /r/ light or non-committal in non-rhotic contexts; practice with relaxed /t/ and bright /i/ at end. Use IPA references to guide vowel shaping.
Heartily derives from heart (the organ as a metaphorical center of emotion and spirit) combined with the suffix -ily, forming an adverbial sense akin to 'in a manner of the heart.' The root word heart originates from Old English heorte, related to German Herz, Dutch hart, and Gothic haerts, all linked to the Proto-Germanic *herta- and Proto-Indo-European *ker- (heart, core, center). The concept of acting with the heart—emotion and sincerity—emerged in early Middle English, where heart was used both literally and figuratively to denote courage, vigor, and spirit. The suffix -ly, from Old English -lice, turns adjectives into adverbs, producing heartily from hearty (older form hearti) meaning full of heart. Over time, heartily broadened beyond physical vitality to describe emotional intensity and wholeheartedness in actions, speech, and reception, maintaining strong collocational ties with verbs like laugh, cheer, believe, and thank. First attested uses appear in Middle English corpora in contexts emphasizing vigorous or sincere expression, with modern standard usage stabilizing in Early Modern English through the 17th century and persisting in contemporary usage as a precise adverb describing the degree of wholeheartedness behind an action or sentiment.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "heartily" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "heartily"
-tly sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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