5 syllables: In, tel, lec, tu, al. Stress on lec.
in-tuh-LEK-choo-uhl
/ˌɪntəˈlɛktʃuəl/
Intellectual is pronounced in-tuh-LEK-choo-uhl (/ˌɪntəˈlɛktʃuəl/). It has five syllables (In-tel-lec-tu-al), with the stress on "lec". Intellectual is an adjective describing activities, people, or ideas that relate to intellect or thinking, often emphasizing analytical or scholarly qualities. It conveys a sense of mental rigor and reflection, sometimes with a neutral to positive nuance. The term is commonly used in academic, professional, and cultural discussions about minds, knowledge, and learning.
adjectiveIntellectual is an adjective describing activities, people, or ideas that relate to intellect or thinking, often emphasizing analytical or scholarly qualities. It conveys a sense of mental rigor and reflection, sometimes with a neutral to positive nuance. The term is commonly used in academic, professional, and cultural discussions about minds, knowledge, and learning.
- You often misplace the primary stress, saying in-TE-lect-u-al or in-teL-lect-u-al. Keep the stress on the third syllable: in-te- ˈlek.tʃu.əl. - The -tʃu- cluster can blur into -tu- or -tju-; focus on making a clear ch- sound before the u vowel. Practice the /tʃ/ immediately before /u/. - Final -al often reduces to a weak vowel; ensure you pronounce a light, final schwa sound before the l.
How to Pronounce Intellectual
"Her lectures attracted an audience of intellectuals and researchers."
"The debate was too intellectual for casual readers, demanding careful analysis."
"She has an intellectual curiosity that drives her to explore multiple disciplines."
Pronounce it as in-tuh-LEK-tsho ooh-əl with the primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌɪn.təˈlek.tjʊ.əl/ (US) or /ˌɪn.təˈlek.tjʊ.əl/ (UK). Start with a light mid-central vowel in the first syllable, move to a clear L sound, then an emphasized -lek- with a tʃ sound in -tʃu-, and finish with a gentle -əl. Audio references: you can compare the pronunciation on Pronounce, Forvo, or YouGlish using “intellectual.” Keywords: stress, syllable-timing, affricate.
Common errors include flattening the stress to too early syllables (e.g., in-TE-lect-u-al), mispronouncing the -tʃu- sequence as -tu- or -tch- in isolation, and slurring the final -al to a vague vowel. Correct by highlighting the /ˈlek/ consonant cluster with a clear tʃ sound, ensuring the /tj/ blend in -tjʊ- is distinct, and preserving the final schwa before l to avoid a clipped ending.
In US English, you’ll hear a slightly rounded initial vowel and a prominent /ˌɪn.təˈlɛk.tʃu.əl/. UK vowels tend to be a little less rhotic with a crisp /lək/ and a tighter /tjʊ/ before the final /əl/. Australian tends to reduce the first syllable more, with a non-rhotic or weakly rhotic tendency and a noticeably closer second vowel in -lek-; the -tjʊ- can be realized more with a shorter /tjʊ/ and more centralized final /əl/.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic structure and the contour of the /lek.tʃu/ sequence, where the /tʃ/ blends with a following /u/ vowel, and the final /əl/ can reduce to a schwa. Keeping the secondary stress clear on -lek- and articulating the /tj/ blend without inserting extra vowels helps maintain accuracy across rapid speech.
Is there a distinctive pause or link between the -lek- and -tʃu- parts in connected speech? In natural American and British speech, there’s a subtle, almost invisible link between -lek- and -tʃu-, but the /t/ typically remains tightly attached to the following /j/ to create the /tj/ cluster; there isn’t a full break, but slight transition helps clarity of the -tʃu- portion.
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- US: rhoticity is common but not prominent in this word, with a clear /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a crisp /lek/; pronounced /ˌɪn.təˈlek.tʃu.əl/. - UK: slightly less rhotic; keep the /t/ clean before /j/ to form the /tj/ blend; /ˌɪn.təˈlek.tjʊ.əl/. - AU: vowel qualities tend to drift toward a centralized /ə/ in the first syllable; keep the /tʃu/ sequence intact; /ˌɪn.təˈlek.tjʊ.əl/.
The word intellectual derives from the Late Latin intellectus, from intellectus meaning understanding, perception, or mental capacity, formed from the verb intelligere (to understand, perceive). It entered English in the 16th century in contexts relating to the faculty of the mind and the intellect. By the 18th and 19th centuries, intellectual began to denote a person who is skilled in or devoted to intellect, or a work associated with thinking and knowledge. The root intellig- traces to Latin legere (to choose, to read) through the concept of understanding; the suffix -tual joins with Latin -tus to form adjectives. Over time, the word broadened to describe not only individuals but also the realm of ideas, pursuits, and discourse tied to reasoning, philosophy, science, and culture. In modern usage, intellectual often carries connotations of rigorous scholarship, theoretical focus, or cultural sophistication, distinct from practical or physical domains.
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Words that rhyme with "Intellectual"
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