4 syllables: In, tel, li, gent. Stress on tel.
in-TEL-uh-juhnt
/ˌɪˈntɛlədʒənt/
Intelligent is pronounced in-TEL-uh-juhnt (/ˌɪˈntɛlədʒənt/). It has four syllables (In-tel-li-gent), with the stress on "tel". Intelligent means having or showing a high level of mental ability or quick understanding. It describes someone who can reason, learn, and apply knowledge effectively across situations. The term often connotes thoughtful judgment and perceptive problem-solving, rather than simply being book-smart.
adjectiveIntelligent means having or showing a high level of mental ability or quick understanding. It describes someone who can reason, learn, and apply knowledge effectively across situations. The term often connotes thoughtful judgment and perceptive problem-solving, rather than simply being book-smart.
"The intelligent student quickly grasped the complex theorem and explained it clearly to the class."
"Researchers developed an intelligent software system that adapts to a user’s learning pace."
"She asked intelligent questions during the conference, demonstrating deep understanding of the topic."
Pronounce as in-TEL-li-gent with stress on the third syllable: in-TEL-li-gent. IPA US: /ˌɪn.tɛˈlɪd͡ʒənt/. Focus the primary beat on the /ˈlɪ/ portion and keep the /d͡ʒ/ as a single palato-alveolar affricate. The first syllable is unstressed: /ˌɪn/. In connected speech, the /ɪ/ in the final syllable is often reduced slightly. Audio reference: [use standard online dictionaries or Pronounce resources].
Common errors: 1) Misplacing the stress on the second syllable (in-TE-lligent) instead of in-TEL-li-gent. 2) Slurring /d͡ʒ/ as a simple /j/ or /ʒ/; ensure a clear palato-alveolar affricate /d͡ʒ/. 3) Reducing the /l/ or mispronouncing the /l/ as a light /ɫ/ in quick speech. Correct by marking the syllables, exaggerating the /l/ in TEL, and producing /d͡ʒ/ strongly.
US: primary stress on TEL, /ɪn.tɛˈlɪ.d͡ʒənt/ with rhotic 'r' not involved; UK: similar pattern but with slightly shorter vowels and a non-rhotic ending; AU: tends to flatter /ɪn.tɛˈlɪd͡ʒənt/ with vowel qualities closer to /e/ in TEL and a more clipped /t/; all share the /d͡ʒ/ in-juction but rhythm and vowel quality vary.
Because it has a three-syllable structure with a secondary stress pattern and a consonant cluster /d͡ʒ/ in the third part. The sequence /tɛl/ followed by the palato-alveolar /d͡ʒ/ can blur in rapid speech, and vowel qualities shift slightly with accent—raising the /ɪ/ to /i/ in some contexts, and reducing unstressed vowels. Practice isolating the TEL and the /d͡ʒənt/ chunk.
The /ˌɪn.tɛˈlɪ.d͡ʒənt/ structure emphasizes a clear palato-alveolar affricate /d͡ʒ/ immediately after the /l/ vowel. The triplet syllables require precise voicing: /ɪn/ is light, /tɛ/ is steady, /lɪ/ carries the primary emotional weight, then /d͡ʒənt/ closes with a soft schwa-like middle before the final /nt/. Visualize lips around /d͡ʒ/ and keep the /t/ release crisp.
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Intelligent comes from the Latin intelligentem, the present participle of intelligere, meaning to understand or to perceive. intelligere itself is formed from in- (toward, into) + leg- (to pick, to choose, to read) and carries the sense of perceiving or understanding. In Old French and Medieval Latin, intelligere evolved to describe perception, discernment, and the capacity to reason. By Middle English, intelligent began to signify possessing intellect or understanding, broadening from simple relatedness to knowledge to include the capacity for complex thought. The first English attestations appear in the 15th century, aligning with scholastic and humanist expansions in Europe where education and rational inquiry valued discernment. Over time, the word carried connotations of cognitive ability across disciplines, from philosophy to science to everyday problem-solving. In modern usage, intelligent is a common evaluative term that can refer to a person’s intellect, a system’s capability to process information, or the quality of an argument or design that demonstrates clear understanding and effective reasoning.
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Words that rhyme with "Intelligent"
-ant sounds
-ent sounds
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