One syllable: Jibe.
jeyeb
/dʒaɪb/
Jibe is pronounced jeyeb (/dʒaɪb/). It has one syllable (Jibe), with the stress on "Jibe". Jibe (noun) refers to a fit of good-humored teasing or mockery, a taunt, or a taunt’s effect in social banter. It can also denote a shift or change in direction, as in sailing jargon where a jib is steered. In everyday use, it often implies sharp, corrective, or witty remark directed at someone. The term emphasizes social interaction and timing.
nounJibe (noun) refers to a fit of good-humored teasing or mockery, a taunt, or a taunt’s effect in social banter. It can also denote a shift or change in direction, as in sailing jargon where a jib is steered. In everyday use, it often implies sharp, corrective, or witty remark directed at someone. The term emphasizes social interaction and timing.
How to Pronounce Jibe
"The comic delivered a timely jibe that drew laughs from the entire room."
"Her jibe about his cooking caused a brief, playful silence before everyone laughed."
"The coach’s jibe underlined the need for better teamwork."
Pronounce as /dʒaɪb/. Stress is first (one-syllable word). It rhymes with ‘vibe’ and sounds like the initial sound in 'job' plus the long 'i' vowel: jibe = jaw-ɪb, but actually /dʒaɪb/—the dʒ sound as in judge, followed by long 'i' /aɪ/ and final /b/. Mouth: start with the voiceless or voiced affricate /dʒ/ at the lips/teeth, then glide into /aɪ/ with a high tongue towards the front, end with /b/. Audio reference: think of “jibe” like “dive” with a j sound before it.
Common errors: 1) Saying /jib/ or /jibeɪ/ by adding an extra vowel; 2) Misplacing voice, using /tʃ/ or /ʒ/ instead of /dʒ/; 3) Dropping the final /b/ or voicing it too weakly. Correction: begin with /dʒ/ as in ‘judge’, hold the /aɪ/ diphthong clearly, and finish with a clean /b/, keeping the lips lightly closed for the stop. Practice by isolating each part: /dʒ/ burst, then /aɪ/ glide, then /b/ closure, ensuring the final release is audible.
In US/UK/AU, /dʒaɪb/ is largely consistent: /dʒ/ as in 'judge', /aɪ/ as in 'high', final /b/ voiced. The main variation lies in vowel length and intonation after the word; rhoticity doesn’t affect this word since it ends with a consonant. Australians may have a slightly more centralized or open vowel in the /aɪ/ portion due to regional vowel shifts, but the core phonemes remain /dʒaɪb/.
Because it begins with the affricate /dʒ/ followed by a clear diphthong /aɪ/ and ends with a bilabial /b/. The combination requires precise timing and breath support: you must release the /dʒ/ into the long /aɪ/ without gliding into an unintended sound (like /j/ or /j:/), and finish with a strong, audible /b/. Mouth posture must smoothly transition from the front-of-mouth constriction to the bilabial closure.
The word’s initial consonant cluster is a single affricate /dʒ/, not a sequence of two phonemes. That means you should avoid adding extra movement or a preceding /j/ sound. Focus on a clean, single /dʒ/ onset, then glide into /aɪ/ and promptly close with /b/. This simple onset helps prevent over-articulating or misarticulating the start.
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Jibe originates from the Middle English word jibe, with roots in the Old English geweiben meaning “to join” or “to join in.” The sense evolved in nautical contexts: sailors used jibing to mean a maneuver where the boat’s sail (the jib) crosses the stern, often producing a quick, sometimes sharp change in direction. The metaphorical extension to social banter—sharp, pointed remarks that “strike” like a jibe—emerged by the 17th century, capturing both the idea of direction and the playful, sometimes biting nature of a remark. In modern English, jibe is used both as a verb (to agree or be consistent, especially in the phrase “jibe with”) and as a noun (a cutting remark). First known uses appear in nautical logs and literature of the 1600s, with broader figurative usage appearing in the 18th and 19th centuries as social critique and humor grew more prominent in print.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Jibe" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Jibe" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Jibe"
-ibe sounds
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