2 syllables: ja, cket. Stress on ja.
/ˈdʒækət/
Say it backA jacket is a lightweight outer garment with sleeves, typically worn for warmth or style. It usually covers the upper body and fastens at the front, sometimes with a zipper or buttons. The term also generically refers to any short or medium-length coat or outerwear worn in informal to semi-formal settings.
"She wore a blue jacket over a white blouse for the meeting."
"The wind was chilly, so he grabbed his leather jacket before leaving."
"At the party, she paired her dress with a cropped jacket."
Pronounce as /ˈdʒækɪt/. The first syllable has primary stress. Start with the j sound /dʒ/ as in
Common mistakes: 1) Dropping the unstressed second syllable so it sounds like /ˈdʒæk/ or /ˈdʒækt/. 2) Mispronouncing the /æ/ as /e/ or /aɪ/. 3) Weakened /t/ at the end or glottalization in American speech. Correction: keep /ɪ/ in the second syllable, avoid t-glottalization in careful speech, and close the mouth similarly to /æ/ before /t/.
US: /ˈdʒækɪt/ with clear /ɪ/ and final /t/. UK: /ˈdʒækɪt/ or /ˈdʒæ-kɪt/ with slightly more relaxed vowel; rhoticity not affecting /t/. AU: /ˈdʒækɪt/ similar to US, often with slightly shorter vowel duration and non-rhotic tendencies? generally similar to US.” ,
The difficulty often comes from the two features: the short, lax /ɪ/ in the second syllable and the precise articulation of the final /t/. The combination /-kɪt/ can be mispronounced as /-kæt/ in fast speech, or the /dʒ/ sound can blend with adjacent consonants. Focus on maintaining a crisp /t/ release after /ɪ/ and keeping the /æ/ not too open before /t/.
A unique angle is the strong first syllable stress and the crisp /t/ release after /ɪ/. Even subtle changes in vowel duration can alter perceived clarity. You may notice listeners mentally hear /ˈdʒækɪt/ more distinctly if you overarticulate the /ɪ/ and ensure the /t/ doesn’t become a stop-influenced flap in casual speech.
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Jacket comes from the French word jaquette, a diminutive of jaque ‘a hooded cloak’ or ‘cloak with a hood’, and from medieval Latin jacula, meaning ‘small thing worn on the body’. The English adoption likely occurred in the 14th-15th centuries, with early forms such as jacquet and jaquet. Over time, the meaning shifted from a hooded outer garment to a fitted, waist-length or hip-length garment worn by men and women. In the 17th–18th centuries, ‘jacket’ began to denote shorter coats worn over a shirt or doublet, distinct from longer coats or capes. The modern sense stabilizes around a casual, everyday outerwear item, often tailored, with zippers or buttons, designed for ease of movement. First known uses appear in Middle English texts influenced by French fashion terms, then proliferated in fashion and military wear as styles diversified in the Victorian era and beyond.
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Help others use "jacket" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "jacket" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "jacket" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "jacket"
-ket sounds
-al) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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