Idolatrous is an adjective describing a person or practice that shows excessive or blind devotion to idols or religious images, often implying misplaced reverence. It conveys disapproval of the object of worship as a false or inappropriate focus, contrasting with reverent or orthodox attitudes. In usage, it can critique devotion that substitutes a tangible image or idea for a transcendent ultimate.
- Pronouncing as idol-uh-trous with flat vowels and weak stresses; fix by keeping primary stress on LA and ensuring clear /ˈleɪ/ before the /tr/ cluster. - Reducing the middle diphthong too much, turning /ˈleɪ/ into /lə/; practice with slow drills to preserve the long /eɪ/ sound. - Slurring /tr/ into a single alveolar sequence; articulate /t/ then immediately move to /r/ with a crisp release. - Not distinguishing the /ə/ in the second syllable; keep a neutral schwa to avoid sounding like /ɪ/ or /æ/. - Final consonant cluster can become /trəs/ or /trəs/ too dark; remember a light /ɪ/ or /ə/ before the final /s/ to maintain clarity.
- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced in the final cluster if preceding vowel leads; ensure /r/ is audible before final /əs/. - UK: non-rhotic in many contexts; the final /r/ is not pronounced; keep /ˌaɪ.dəˈleɪ.trəs/ with the /r/ silent near end. - AU: often intermediary rhoticity; chain /r/ with a softer release; keep /ˌaɪ.dəˈleɪ.trəs/ with clear /eɪ/ and a light /ɹ/ if produced. - Vowel detail: /aɪ/ as in eye; /ə/ as in about; /ˈleɪ/ as lay; /trəs/ as truss without a heavy final vowel. IPA references help you monitor subtle differences.
"The reformers condemned the village ritual as idolatrous, warning against worship of statues."
"Some scholars argue that certain rituals are idolatrous only in a specific historical context."
"The architect spoke out against idolatrous adornments that distracted from the temple’s spiritual purpose."
"Historians debate whether ancient practices were idolatrous or simply symbolic expressions of faith."
Idolatrous comes from Middle English idolature or idolatry, borrowed and adapted from Late Latin idolātrīa meaning ‘idol worship’ from idolum ‘an image, idol’ + -trīa from -trīa, forming a noun meaning worship or devotion to idols. The English form idolatry appears around the 14th century, with idolatrous as an adjective by the 15th century. The root idol- traces to Latin idolum, which itself likely derives from Greek eidolon meaning ‘apparition, image’ and later 'likeness.' The suffix -ous marks the adjective form, signaling possession or quality. Over time, idolatrous broadened from strictly religious idolatry to any excessive or misplaced devotion, sometimes used pejoratively in secular critique. In theology and literature, idolatrous often carries moral judgment, aligning with terms like “idolatry” and “iconolatry.” Modern usage retains historical flavor while occasionally widening to critique celebrity or material obsession as idolatrous devotion. First known uses appear in religious polemics and moral treatises of medieval Europe, becoming more common in discourse on ritual practice during Reformation debates and later in biblical scholarship and literary criticism.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Idolatrous" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Idolatrous"
-ous sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say /ˌaɪ.dəˈleɪ.trəs/. Break it into three beats: i-DOH-lay-truhs with primary stress on the 'LAY' syllable. Start with a short /aɪ/ as in ‘eye’, then a schwa in the second syllable, then /ˈleɪ/ as in ‘layer’, and end with /trəs/ where the /t/ is released and the final /əs/ is a light schwa + s. Practicing slowly helps the mouth settle into each fingered position, then increase speed.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (placing primary stress on the first or second syllable), turning /ˌaɪ.dəˈleɪ.trəs/ into /ˌaɪˈdɒl.ə.trəs/ by misplacing vowel quality, and compressing the final /trəs/ into /trəs/ or /trəs/ with unclear /r/. Correct by keeping main stress on LA, using a clear /ˈleɪ/ vowel, and ensuring the /t/ is released before the /r/ and schwa.
In US and UK, the core is /ˌaɪ.dəˈleɪ.trəs/ with non-rhotic UK speakers often linking the /r/ less; US speakers maintain a more pronounced rhotic /r/ only in the final syllable cluster as appropriate. Australian English tends to have a clearer /ɹ/ than British but softer than American; the /ˈleɪ/ vowel often remains a clear diphthong in all. Overall, stress pattern remains three-syllable with primary stress on the third syllable, but vowel qualities shift slightly: /ə/ versus /ɪ/ in the second vowel.
Because it combines a strong secondary stress followed by a clear /ˈleɪ/ diphthong and a consecutive consonant cluster /trəs/. The sequence /ləˈtr/ can be tricky; keep the tongue tip near the alveolar ridge for the /t/, then quickly roll into /r/ and schwa. Practicing distinct syllables helps: /aɪ.də/ as in ‘eye-duh’, then /ˈleɪ/ as lay, then /trəs/ as truss with a light, crisp /t/.
There are no silent letters in Idolatrous. The word has three syllables with primary stress on the third syllable: i-do-LA-drous. The second syllable uses a schwa /ə/, and the final /trəs/ lands on a clear /tr/ cluster before a light /əs/. The key is to pronounce the /d/ clearly after /ə/ and to maintain a distinct /ˈleɪ/ before the /tr/.
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- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker (audio sample) and repeat in real time, focusing on three syllables: i-do-LA-drous. - Minimal pairs: eye-DAH, idol-addle, lay-truss; practice contrasts that stress and vowel quality. - Rhythm practice: three-stress pattern wobbles; count 1-2-3 with deliberate pacing: 1: i, 2: do, 3: LA-drous. - Stress practice: hold primary stress on LA; use tapping to mark syllables. - Recording: record your pronunciation, compare with reference; adjust tempo and vowel length. - Context drills: use the word in two sentences; practice in formal and informal contexts to ensure fluidity.
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