3 syllables: in, tel, lect. Stress on in.
IN-tuh-lekt
/ˈɪntəˌlɛkt/
intellect is pronounced IN-tuh-lekt (/ˈɪntəˌlɛkt/). It has three syllables (in-tel-lect), with the stress on "in". Intellect refers to the faculty of reasoning, understanding, and thinking, especially at a high level. It encompasses cognitive abilities such as logic, analysis, and problem-solving. The term often contrasts with emotion or practical know-how, highlighting mental capacity and scholarly aptitude in evaluating information and ideas.
Intellect refers to the faculty of reasoning, understanding, and thinking, especially at a high level. It encompasses cognitive abilities such as logic, analysis, and problem-solving. The term often contrasts with emotion or practical know-how, highlighting mental capacity and scholarly aptitude in evaluating information and ideas.
- You may replace the middle schwa with a clearer vowel, producing an unsteady rhythm. Work on the natural reduction to /ə/ in fast speech. - You might over-pronounce the final /t/ or make the /l/ too dark, which disturbs the clean final consonant cluster. - You may misplace the stress, putting it on the second syllable (in-TEL-lect) or flattening the rhythm, leading to an awkward cadence.
"Her intellect and curiosity drove her to pursue advanced studies in philosophy."
"The debate required quick reasoning and a deep understanding of complex concepts, testing the participants’ intellect."
"A strong intellect can compensate for gaps in experience when analyzing unfamiliar problems."
Pronunciation: /ˈɪn.təˌlɛkt/ (US/UK/AU). The primary stress is on the first syllable, with secondary emphasis on the last syllable. Break it into three syllables: IN - tuh - LECT. The middle vowel is a schwa in many speakers, and the final consonant cluster is /lɛkt/ with /l/ before /ɛ/. Place your tongue high in the front of the mouth for the initial /ɪ/, relax into a mid-central /ə/ for /tə/, and then produce a crisp /lɛkt/ with a light release on /t/.”,
Common mistakes include flattening the stress to IN-tuh-LECT with incorrect secondary stress on the final syllable, and mispronouncing the middle vowel as a full /eɪ/ or /iː/ rather than a reduced /ə/. Some speakers also mispronounce the final cluster as /-ekt/ with a hard /k/ release, instead of the typical /-lɛkt/. Focus on three-syllable rhythm and a clean /t/ before the final /lɛkt/.”,
In US English, /ˈɪn.təˌlɛkt/ with a stronger /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a clear /ɛ/ in the final vowel. UK English maintains /ˈɪn.təl.ɛkt/ with possible lighter middle schwa and a less pronounced final /ɛ/ depending on speaker. Australian tends toward a slightly more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable and a crisp final /-lɛkt/, with less rhotic influence and more vowel reduction. Overall, rhoticity is minimal in non-rhotic accents like British English, affecting the linking and articulation of the final consonant.”,
The difficulty lies in balancing the three-syllable rhythm, with a stressed first syllable and a lighter middle syllable that often reduces to a schwa. The final /lɛkt/ cluster requires precise tongue placement: the /l/ must be light, followed quickly by the alveolar /t/ before the velar release of /k/ can cause a tiny delay. Native-like smoothness depends on coordinating lip rounding and jaw tension to prevent a clipped or blurred middle syllable.”,
Does the ‘int’ sequence in intellect affect articulation as compared to other -ect endings? Yes. The initial 'int' combines a short /ɪ/ with a hard /n/ followed by a light triplet, but the critical distinction is keeping the /t/ from hardening into a released /d/ in rapid speech. In careful speech you maintain /ˈɪn.tə/ before the clear /lɛkt/; in casual speech you may hear /ˈɪn.tə.lɛkt/ with a very brief /ə/ and a softer /t/ before the /lɛkt/.”],
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- US: clearer /ɪ/ and a more pronounced /ɛ/ at the end; rhoticity affects linking in connected speech slightly but not in this word. - UK: weaker middle vowel, more schwa-like; final /t/ released, but can be lightly touched when spoken quickly. - AU: tends to a slightly more centralized middle, with hardening of final /k/ depending on speaker. Try to keep the final /t/ crisp even with a wider mouth opening.
Intellect derives from Medieval Latin intellectus, from the verb intelligere meaning to understand or perceive. Intelligere combines inter- (within, among) and legere (to choose, pick out, read) via the Latin root legere, evolving from ‘to understand’ into a noun denoting the faculty of thought. The Latin noun intellectus entered English through Old French intellectual and French intellect, maintaining the core sense of discerning mental capacity. The word first appears in Middle English in the 14th century, often in religious or scholastic contexts, gradually broadening to secular uses tied to reasoning and cognitive ability. Over time, intellect has acquired a slightly more formal, academic connotation, frequently paired with adjectives such as “acute,” “keen,” or “superior” to emphasize high mental capacity. In modern usage, intellect is commonly contrasted with emotion (affect) or practical skill, especially in academic or philosophical discussions about the nature of knowledge and thought rather than manual or emotional competencies.
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Words that rhyme with "intellect"
-ect sounds
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