LAB-ur-inth
/ˈlæbɚˌɪnθ/
Labyrinth is pronounced LAB-ur-inth (/ˈlæbɚˌɪnθ/). Labyrinth (noun) refers to a complex network of winding passages or a structure so intricate that it is easy to get lost within. It also figuratively denotes something extremely intricate or perplexing. The term conveys mystery, curve, and confusion, and is often used in literature, architecture, and mythology to describe mazes and puzzling designs.
nounLabyrinth (noun) refers to a complex network of winding passages or a structure so intricate that it is easy to get lost within. It also figuratively denotes something extremely intricate or perplexing. The term conveys mystery, curve, and confusion, and is often used in literature, architecture, and mythology to describe mazes and puzzling designs.
How to correct: practice with isolated vowels /læ/ then /ə/ then /rɪnθ/; use minimal pairs with /θ/ vs /s/ to feel the difference; practice whispering /θ/ to master tongue placement before voicing it in normal speech. Record yourself, compare with native playback, and slow down to fix the placement.
How to Pronounce Labyrinth
"The ancient temple was guarded by a labyrinth of tunnels that visitors could hardly navigate."
"Researchers mapped the labyrinth of the brain’s neural pathways to understand cognitive processing."
"The city’s old sewer system formed a labyrinth of interconnecting caverns beneath the streets."
Labyrinth is pronounced /ˈlæbəˌrɪnθ/ in US and UK; Australian speakers often mirror /ˈlæbəˌrɪnθ/. The primary stress is on the first syllable LAB-, with a secondary stress on the -rin- syllable in many varieties. The final -th is the voiced/unvoiced dental fricative /θ/ as in 'thin.' Mouth position: start with an open front lax vowel in LAB (/læ/), then a mid-central schwa in sər, then a short /ɪ/ in -rin-, and finish with /θ/ produced by the tongue between the teeth. For listener clarity, clearly enunciate the -bun? Note: ensure the /r/ is rhotic in US/UK; in non-rhotic varieties you may hear a mild r-colp as ɹ is less pronounced.
Common errors: misplacing stress (saying la-BYR-inth) or saying la-BE-ruh-th, mispronouncing the final /θ/ as /f/ or /s/. Correct by following the two-stress pattern LAB-uh-rinth, keep the /ɪ/ short, and place the tongue to create the dental fricative /θ/ between the upper and lower teeth with a light breath. Practice with slow, deliberate articulation, then speed up while maintaining the final /θ/ consonant.
In US/UK, you’ll hear /ˈlæbəˌrɪnθ/ with rhotic r and a final dental /θ/. In many Australian speakers, you’ll still hear /ˈlæbəˌrɪnθ/ but with subtle vowel qualities; the /ə/ can be reduced more in rapid speech. The main differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality; US tends to stronger r-coloring, UK often more clipped vowels in unstressed syllables, and AU shares a rhotic tendency but with unique vowel shifts in Australian English.
The difficulty centers on the cluster of consonants at the end: the /rɪn/ + /θ/ sequence and the dental fricative /θ/. Many speakers struggle to place the tongue correctly for /θ/ and to maintain the two-stress pattern across syllables. Additionally, the second syllable carries a secondary stress that can be easy to misplace in casual speech, leading to a misheard, la-BE-rinth. Practicing the /θ/ with a light, breathy release and maintaining clear /r/ or non-rhotic /ɹ/ can help.
The primary stress in Labyrinth falls on the first syllable: LAB-uh-rinth. The 'lab' syllable receives the strongest stress, while the middle syllable carries secondary stress in many speakers; the final syllable is unstressed but distinct due to the /θ/. In careful speech, you maintain clear /æ/ in LAB, then a lighter /ə/ in -ə-, then /rɪnθ/. The result is a natural two-stress rhythm that preserves the word’s ancient, lofty feel.
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US: rhotic, stronger /ɹ/; UK/AU: non-rhotic or weak r; vowels in unstressed syllables reduced to schwa; final /θ/ remains. In US, you’ll hear a more distinct /ɹ/ and a slightly more forward /æ/. In UK, /æ/ can be closer to a flat æ; AU varies, but often /r/ is less pronounced, and vowels may be longer in the first syllable. Practice with IPA transcriptions and mimic native audio accents using shadowing.
Labyrinth derives from Latin labyrinthus, from Ancient Greek labyrinthos (λαβύθινθος) originally referring to the famous maze in the myth of King Minos in Crete. The Greek term likely combines labos (a “labi/maze”?) with the suffix -inthyn, though etymologists debate precise roots. The earliest Greek usage appears in classical texts describing the maze built by Daedalus to house the Minotaur. The Romans borrowed labyrinthus and disseminated the word across Europe in late antiquity, gradually shifting its sense from a physical maze to a figurative sense of complexity or entanglement. In English, labyrinth appeared in the 14th century initially to describe a large, intricate network of passages in architecture or chthonic temples. By the 17th–18th centuries, the term extended to describe complex mental or moral conundrums, and today it commonly denotes both literal mazes and intricate systems (neural labyrinths, mathematical labyrinths). The core sense remains: a path or structure that is difficult to navigate due to its complexity; the word’s prestige and slightly exotic sound have kept it in literary and scientific contexts alike.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Labyrinth" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Labyrinth"
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