2 syllables: la, belled. Stress on la.
LAY-buhld
/ˈleɪbəld/
labelled is pronounced LAY-buhld (/ˈleɪbəld/). It has two syllables (la-belled), with the stress on "la". Labelled (British English spelling) means to have been given a label or designation, or to have been categorized or marked as such. It can describe the act of placing identifying tags on objects or people, or the process of assigning a particular name or category. In some contexts it also signals how something is perceived or classified by others and may carry connotations or biases tied to that label.
Labelled (British English spelling) means to have been given a label or designation, or to have been categorized or marked as such. It can describe the act of placing identifying tags on objects or people, or the process of assigning a particular name or category. In some contexts it also signals how something is perceived or classified by others and may carry connotations or biases tied to that label.
"The product was labelled with a warning to handle it carefully."
"She labelled the files alphabetically so they’d be easy to find."
"In the UK, the software package is labelled with the latest security patch."
Stress on the first syllable: LA-bel-d. In IPA for UK/US/AU: /ˈleɪ.bəld/. The final -ed is pronounced as /d/ in this word, giving a clear /ld/ cluster at the end. Tip: keep the /l/ light and the /eɪ/ as a diphthong, ending with a quick, relaxed /ld/ blend. You’ll want a short, almost clipped release on the final /d/ to avoid a t-voicing or vowel intrusion. You can hear this in careful British pronunciation or in careful American enunciation. Audio reference: listen for /ˈleɪ.bəld/ in standard British English sources and YouGlish examples of labelled in British and American speech.
Common errors include flattening the diphthong /eɪ/ to a pure /e/ or /ɛ/, producing /ˈlɛbəld/ instead of /ˈleɪ.bəld/, and mispronouncing the final /ld/ as /lɪd/ or as /ld/ with a voiceless /t/ substitute. Another frequent mistake is pronouncing /ˈleɪ.bəlld/ with an extra syllable or misplacing the stress. To correct: keep /eɪ/ as a true diphthong, ensure the final /ld/ is a voiced alveolar /d/ after a light /l/ and a preceding schwa, and don’t add an extra syllable before the final /d/. Practice: say LA-ble-d with a crisp final /d/ and avoid 'lah-bled' or 'lay-bulled' variants.
In UK and Australian accents, the initial /ˈleɪ/ syllable remains stressed with the same diphthong; the trailing /bəld/ sustains a clear /b/ and /ld/ combination. In many US variants, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable is less prominent; you may hear slight differences in /æ/ or /eɪ/ realization with more rounded lips. The main difference is typically vowel quality of /ə/ (schwa) and the rhoticity: US non-rhotic accents may drop rhotic coloring in unstressed syllables, but the -ed ending remains /d/. Overall, you’ll hear /ˈleɪ.bəld/ across regions, with subtle vowel length and rhotic subtlety varying by speaker.
Because it combines an English diphthong /eɪ/ with a sonorant /l/ cluster and a voiced stop /d/. The transitions require precise tongue positioning: elevate the tongue for /eɪ/, depress slightly for the schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, then glide into the alveolar /l/ and finish with a strong /d/. The risk is turning /ə/ into /ɪ/ or /ʌ/ and softening the /ld/ into /l/ or /t/. Practicing with minimal pairs helps you stabilize the /b/ vs /p/ timing and avoid an intrusive vowel before the final /d/.
The word 'labelled' challenges the typical /ə/ realization in the second syllable due to the adjacent /l/ and /d/ sequence. To address this, you should keep a light lateral release into the /l/ and push the tongue slightly forward for the /d/ to maintain clear alveolar closure. A common trap is inserting an extra vowel between /lə/ and /d/—avoid adding a separate schwa before the final /d/ and maintain a tight, quick transition from /lə/ to /d/. Practice with the phrase 'carefully labelled objects' to embed the cadence.
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Labelled derives from the noun label, with the -ed suffix forming the past participle/adjective. The noun label originates from Old French labelle (literally ‘a thing to be tied or fastened’), from Late Latin labellum meaning ‘a small leaf or label’ and related to labellum in botany. The core sense evolved through medieval trade and cataloguing practice: to affix a tag or inscription to an object for identification, ownership, or classification. The -ed form appears in English as the regular past tense and past participle for regular verbs. In British English, labelled is the standard spelling; in American English, labeled is also common, with differences in vowel placement and the optional use of the same -ed suffix forms in adjectives. First known written uses traceable to Middle English texts where items were labeled for inventory, and the term matured through the growth of bureaucratic administration and consumer markets in the 17th–19th centuries, aligning with the expansion of trade and record-keeping. In modern usage, labelled commonly appears in contexts of labeling objects, people by descriptors (often sensitive), and in software or data tagging.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "labelled" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "labelled" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "labelled"
-led sounds
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