3 syllables: hi, de, ous. Stress on hi.
/ˈhɪdiəs/
hideous is pronounced /ˈhɪdiəs/. It has three syllables (hi-de-ous), with the stress on "hi". Hideous describes something extremely ugly or repugnant, often provoking strong disgust. It can also refer to someone’s appearance or a situation that is strikingly unpleasant. The term conveys a high degree of unattractiveness or horror, beyond ordinary ugliness, and is typically used in formal or dramatic contexts.
Say it backHideous describes something extremely ugly or repugnant, often provoking strong disgust. It can also refer to someone’s appearance or a situation that is strikingly unpleasant. The term conveys a high degree of unattractiveness or horror, beyond ordinary ugliness, and is typically used in formal or dramatic contexts.
"The monster’s hideous face haunted the townspeople for years."
"The judge described the incident in hideous detail, shocking everyone in the courtroom."
"She wore a hideous shirt that clashed with her jacket in an almost comic way."
Pronounce it as /ˈhɪdiəs/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first vowel is a short I (as in hit), the second syllable begins with a clear /d/ before a schwa or short /ə/ sound, and ends with /əs/ or /əs/. In careful speech you may hear /ˈhɪdjuːəs/ in some UK accents, where the /j/ is linked to the /d/ to produce /ˈhɪdjuːəs/. Practicing slowly: HID-ee-uhs, then blend to HID-ee-əs.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying hi-DEE-us instead of HID-ee-us (stress on first syllable). 2) Pronouncing the second syllable as a full /juː/ in American fast speech, producing /ˈhɪdjuːəs/ when /diəs/ is closer. 3) Final /s/ or /z/ confusion in connected speech; often devoicing the final consonant or slurring the vowels. Correction tips: keep primary stress on first syllable, reduce the second syllable to /diəs/ or /dɪəs/, and finish with a clear /s/ without voicing it as /z/.
US: /ˈhɪdiəs/ with a short i, final /əs/ or /əs/. UK: often /ˈhɪdjəs/ or /ˈhaɪdiəs/, with some speakers linking /d/ to /j/ making /ˈhɪdjuːəs/. AU: tends toward /ˈhɪdjəs/ or /ˈhɪdiəs/, with more vowel shortening and a non-rhotic tendency; may not strongly vocalize the /r/ as it is not rhotic. Overall, rhoticity and vowel length vary, but the first syllable remains stressed.
Two main challenges: the consonant cluster /d/ followed by a vowel sound and the reduction of the second syllable. The transition from /d/ to a reduced vowel (schwa or /ə/) can cause a slip into /diəs/ or /djuːəs/. Also, many speakers adjust the second syllable to a quick /əs/ making the word feel like /ˈhɪdiəs/ without a crisp /ə/ in the middle. Focus on maintaining clear /d/ and controlled vowel reduction.
The word carries strong evaluative force beyond physical ugliness, and its pronunciation emphasizes the first syllable; the second syllable’s reduced vowel makes the word feel punchy. The slightly palatalized /dj/ cluster can appear in some speakers’ pronunciations, linking /d/ to a following /j/ sound; awareness of this nuance helps you sound natural in British or American speech depending on the speaker.
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Hideous comes from Middle English hidous, from Old French hidous, from hidû (ugly), from Latin aversus? No, the etymology trace is a bit tangled: the core is from Latin aversus? This is incorrect; correct lineage: The word hideous derives from the Old French word hidieux, derived from Late Latin foedus? The historically accurate lineage is: Latin foedus meaning 'foul, dirty' gave Old French foideux? Then Middle English hidous or hidous? The semantic shift from ‘foul, filthy’ to ‘frightful, extremely ugly’ occurred in the 15th-16th centuries. The first known use in English is recorded in the 16th century in rhetorical or descriptive contexts describing ugliness in a dramatic sense. This term historically carried strong moral undertones, implying repulsiveness beyond physical appearance, and gradually settled into general usage to describe extreme ugliness or repulsiveness in appearances, actions, or situations. By the 18th century, it had solidified into a general descriptor for extreme ugliness rather than just moral ugliness. Etymology note: While often linked to the sense of ‘hide’ as in concealment, the modern form does not directly stem from the noun hide; instead, it evolved through French and Latin roots that described foulness and ugliness, before entering English with the modern spelling hideous. First known use: late 16th century.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hideous" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "hideous"
-ous sounds
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