4 syllables: he, ze, ki, ah. Stress on ki.
hez-ik-EYE-uh
/hɛzɪˈkaɪə/
hezekiah is pronounced hez-ik-EYE-uh (/hɛzɪˈkaɪə/). It has four syllables (he-ze-ki-ah), with the stress on "ki". Hezekiah is a proper noun, most famously a Hebrew name borne by biblical kings. It denotes a specific historical figure and carries ceremonial, religious, and literary associations. In pronunciation guidance, it is treated as a multi-syllabic name with emphasis patterns typical of Hebrew-derived names, often rendered with delicate vowel quality and a non-reduced final syllable in English usage.
Hezekiah is a proper noun, most famously a Hebrew name borne by biblical kings. It denotes a specific historical figure and carries ceremonial, religious, and literary associations. In pronunciation guidance, it is treated as a multi-syllabic name with emphasis patterns typical of Hebrew-derived names, often rendered with delicate vowel quality and a non-reduced final syllable in English usage.
"The king Hezekiah is described in the biblical text."
"She cited Hezekiah’s reforms to illustrate ancient governance."
"In the choir, the soloist sang a hymn that referenced Hezekiah."
Pronounce it as heh-ZE-kye-uh (US/UK). IPA: US hɪˈzɪkaɪə, UK hɪˈzɪkɪə. The stressed syllable is the second: ze; keep the final -iah as a short schwa plus a light ‘uh’ rather than a long vowel. Begin with a crisp h, then a short eh, then a clear Z, followed by a long I sound in the penultimate syllable, ending with a weak final schwa.
Two frequent errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the first or last syllable; place primary stress on the second syllable (ZE). (2) Slurring the -iah into a simple “yah” or “ee-uh”; instead produce -i-ə with a light schwa after the long I. Practicing the sequence h-eh-ZEH-kee-ə helps avoid these. Remember to articulate the /z/ clearly and avoid turning /k/ into a soft or glottal stop.
In US and UK English, the second syllable carries the main stress: he-ZEK-iah. US often gives a clearer /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a reduced final /ə/; UK remains similar but may have a slightly shorter final syllable with less vowel rounding. Australian English tends to lighten the vowel in the first syllable and maintain a flat, non-rhotic pronunciation, with a subtle diphthong in the final -iah. Overall, rhotics are present in US and UK to varying degrees; AU often shows a more vowel-centralized finale.
It combines several tricky elements: a three-syllable rhythm with secondary vowels, the /z/ adjacent to /k/ which can blur, and the final -iah which often reduces to a schwa. The long I in the penultimate syllable requires a distinct glide from /i/ toward /ə/. Non-native speakers may misplace the main stress or mispronounce the final syllable as 'ee-uh' instead of a softer 'iə' or 'yə' sound. Practice separating syllables and emphasizing the second syllable.
Yes, the final -iah in many English renderings renders as -iə or -yə, which is not always intuitive for speakers unfamiliar with Hebrew-derived names. The combination of a central vowel after long I produces a light, almost trailing finish. Emphasize the /ɪ/ then glide into /kaɪ/ and finish with a light /ə/; avoid making the final schwa too strong or too short.
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Hezekiah is a theophoric Hebrew name composed of elements from the divine name Yahweh: Ha-zekiah combines ha- meaning ‘the’ with zēkāh or zekāh, linked to the verb ‘to be strong’ or ‘Yahweh has strengthened.’ The name appears in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., 2 Kings 18–20; Isaiah) and is associated with the Judean king Hezekiah. The form was rendered into Greek as Hezekias in the Septuagint, Latinized as Hezekias, and later Anglicized as Hezekiah. Its meaning centers on divine empowerment and protection, reflecting a royal and religious function. Over time, the name has remained a biblical and historical descriptor, used in liturgy, literature, and scholarship. In English, the pronunciation has adapted to fit English phonotactics while preserving the original stress and syllabic rhythm characteristic of Hebrew-derived proper names. First known uses derive from Biblical Hebrew texts dated to the 8th–7th centuries BCE, with subsequent translations and transliterations influencing modern pronunciation in English-speaking contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hezekiah" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "hezekiah"
-iah sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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