2 syllables: in, ter. Stress on ter.
in-TUR
/ˌɪˈntɝ/
inter is pronounced in-TUR (/ˌɪˈntɝ/). It has two syllables (in-ter), with the stress on "ter". Inter is a short, unstressed syllable often pronounced as a reduced form in connected speech (e.g., in-TER or - and- in some contexts). It functions primarily as a prefix or preposition/particle in phrases like “interdisciplinary,” “to intercede,” or “to intervene,” with its pronunciation influenced by surrounding sounds and stress patterns. In careful speech it can retain a light, unstressed schwa or reduced vowel sound depending on cadence.
Inter is a short, unstressed syllable often pronounced as a reduced form in connected speech (e.g., in-TER or - and- in some contexts). It functions primarily as a prefix or preposition/particle in phrases like “interdisciplinary,” “to intercede,” or “to intervene,” with its pronunciation influenced by surrounding sounds and stress patterns. In careful speech it can retain a light, unstressed schwa or reduced vowel sound depending on cadence.
Tip: use minimal pairs like inter–enter (ɪnˈtɜː(r) vs ˈɛn.tər) to train emphasis and rhythm, and record yourself to compare with native samples.
"- The researchers will intercede between the two teams to prevent a dispute."
"- They decided to inter the documents under seal until further notice."
"- The treaty aims to interconnect the regional networks for better efficiency."
Pronounce it as ɪnˈtɜː(r) in US/UK, with a reduced first syllable and the main stress on the second syllable. In fast speech you may hear ɪnˈtər or ɪnˈtɜː. Start with a light, quick schwa or /ɪ/ in the first syllable, then release a clear /t/ + /ɜː(r)/ before a relaxed ending. Audio reference: compare with English dictionaries or pronunciation tools.
Common errors include over-stressing the first syllable (IM-TER), articulating a full vowel in the second syllable (ɪnˈtɜːr with a de-voiced ending), or inserting an extra vowel between /t/ and /n/ (ɪn-tɪn-ter). Correct it by keeping the second syllable stressed, ensuring a short, crisp /t/ release, and allowing the /r/ to be soft or silent in non-rhotic accents.
In US and UK rhotic varieties, the second syllable carries primary stress and the /r/ is pronounced in US but often non-rhotic in UK depending on context; AU tends toward rhotic pronunciation with a clear /r/ and a slightly flatter /ɜː/. The first syllable often reduces to schwa or a short /ɪ/. Overall, US ɪnˈtɜːɹ, UK ɪnˈtɜː, AU ɪnˈtɜːɹ, with subtle vowel length differences and rhotic presence.
The difficulty lies in the rapid syllable reduction in connected speech, producing a light, unstressed first syllable and a sharply released /t/ followed by a mid back vowel. Learners often misplace the stress, insert an extra vowel, or over-articulate the second syllable. Focus on a quick schwa, short /t/ release, and a relaxed but audible /ɜː/ or /ər/ to achieve natural rhythm.
A unique nuance is the tendency for the second syllable to bear stronger acoustic prominence in many contexts, even when the word is part of larger compounds. You’ll hear a slightly longer duration on the second syllable in careful speech. For example, in interdisciplinary contexts, the boundary before inter helps cue the reader/listener that a prefix is activating a compound.
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Inter derives from Latin inter ‘between, among, amidst’, a preposition/adverb forming the basis of many English compounds and phrases. The Latin root inter comes from Proto-Italic *inter, related to Greek antí (against/along), and Proto-Indo-European *en-tero-, denoting a position between things. In English, the sense evolved from a simple positional meaning to a productive prefix and to a standalone preposition/particle in phrases. The word appears in English texts in the medieval period primarily as a Latin loanword in ecclesiastical and scholarly writing, where it was used in phrases like intercessor, international, and interdict. Over time, the prefix inter- contributed to a broad family of compounds indicating exchange, relationship, or transition (e.g., intervene, interaction, interdisciplinary). Modern English use covers both lexical items (intercede, interconnect) and syntactic particles (to inter, as in “to inter alia” in legal language). The exact first-known use is difficult to pin down due to Latin-to-English spread, but attestations of inter- as a bound prefix appear in late Old English/early Middle English texts, with the earliest clear examples in Latin attributions to scholastic discourse and legal Latin phrases that carried into English usage in the Renaissance and beyond.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "inter" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "inter" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "inter"
-ter sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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