3 syllables: lar, cen, y. Stress on lar.
LAHR-suh-nee
/ˈlɑɹsəni/
larceny is pronounced LAHR-suh-nee (/ˈlɑɹsəni/). It has three syllables (lar-cen-y), with the stress on "lar". Larceny is a legal term referring to the unlawful taking and carrying away of someone else’s personal property with intent to permanently deprive the owner. In ordinary usage, it denotes theft, typically of tangible goods, under criminal law. The word signals a formal, often technical context rather than casual everyday language.
Larceny is a legal term referring to the unlawful taking and carrying away of someone else’s personal property with intent to permanently deprive the owner. In ordinary usage, it denotes theft, typically of tangible goods, under criminal law. The word signals a formal, often technical context rather than casual everyday language.
- Misplacing stress or softening the first syllable (saying laR-sen-i); fix by practicing the strong primary stress on the first syllable and making the first vowel long and open: /ˈlɑːr/. - Overpronouncing the middle syllable (suh) or adding a full vowel sound; practice with a quick, reduced /sə/ and a short second syllable. - Inconsistent final vowel: some say /-i/ as /ee/ or /iː/; aim for a short /i/ as in 'bit' but often more neutral; focus on a crisp, brief end. - US vs UK variation: in non-rhotic UK accents the /r/ is less pronounced; practice both rhotic and non-rhotic versions so your pronunciation remains recognizable across contexts. - Avoid blending syllables too closely; maintain a clear three-syllable rhythm to preserve the word’s formal tone.
"The defendant was charged with larceny after admitting he took the bike from the rack."
"A petty larceny conviction can carry consequences similar to other theft offenses."
"The prosecutor argued that the act met the threshold for larceny under state statute."
Pronounce it as LAHR-suh-nee in US and UK. The primary stress is on the first syllable: /ˈlɑːr.sən.i/ (US) or /ˈlɑː.sən.i/ (UK). The middle vowel is a schwa in many accents (suh), and the final vowel is a clear /i/ as in 'see'. In careful speech, avoid modalizing the middle syllable; keep it short and unstressed. Listen for a crisp initial /l/ and a light, quick second syllable. For audio references, check Cambridge or Oxford pronunciations and Forvo samples.
Common errors include: misplacing the stress (pronouncing laR-sen-i), mispronouncing the first vowel as a short /æ/ or /a/ as in 'cat', and over-emphasizing the middle syllable. Correct by emphasizing /ˈlɑːr/ with a long open back vowel, then a quick /sən/ and final /i/. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'larse-near' won’t help—focus on the standard /ˈlɑːr.sə.ni/. Listening to native speakers and repeating with recordings helps cement the rhythm and vowel quality.
US and UK share the same four-syllable structure but vary vowel length and rhoticity. In rhotic US, /ˈlɑːr.sən.i/ includes an /r/ in the first syllable; UK typically features non-rhotic /ˈlɑː.sən.i/ in many accents with a non-rhotic r. Australian English tends toward /ˈlɑː.sən.i/ with strong final vowel and a lighter r; vowels can be slightly more centralized. Overall, stress remains on the first syllable, but rhoticity and vowel length differ slightly depending on dialect.
Because of the silent-ish contrast between syllables and the unstressed schwa in the middle, speakers may flatten /ˈlɑːr.sə.ni/ or misplace the stress on the second syllable. The middle vowel is typically a reduced schwa, which can be hard for non-native ears. The combination of an initial tense vowel /ˈlɑːr/ followed by a quick /sə/ and final /ni/ requires careful timing. Practice with recordings, mirror the mouth movements, and train your ear to hear the stable first syllable.
There are no silent letters in larceny, but the tongue has to transition quickly from /ɑː/ to /r/ to /s/ and finally /i/. The tricky part is the rhotacized American /r/ in the first syllable (US) versus non-rhotic UK varieties, which affects perception of /ˈlɑːr/ vs. /ˈlɑː/. The 'r' is pronounced in US, influencing the vowel quality, while in some UK accents the /r/ is less pronounced. Pay attention to the crisp /s/ cluster and the final short vowel to avoid trailing off.
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- US: emphasize a rhotic /r/ in the first syllable, keep /ɑː/ long and open, and use a light /ə/ in the middle. IPA: /ˈlɑːr.sən.i/. - UK: often non-rhotic; the first syllable may sound slightly shorter, producing /ˈlɑː.sən.i/ with a more clipped r. Maintain a clear /s/ and final /i/; note the vowel quality can be slightly shorter and tenser. - AU: tends toward rhotic accent with clear /r/ like US; vowels can be broader and the final /i/ as a tighter, clipped sound. Pronounce /ˈlɑː.sən.i/ with a prominent first syllable and a conservative final vowel. - General: keep the middle vowel as a reduced schwa; avoid over-emphasizing /s/ or overpronouncing /ri/ to maintain naturalness. Reference IPA as a guide to pitch and vowel length differences across dialects.
Larceny derives from the Old French lacernie, ultimately from Latin latrocinium, which meant robbery or brigandage. The legal sense emerged in Middle English via Old French and was reinforced by medieval English codifications of property crimes. The root latro- is linked to brigandage, and -ceny mirrors the Latin -centia meaning ‘a taking’ or ‘the act of.’ Over time, larceny became specialized to denote the unlawful taking of personal property without depending on the use of force (in some jurisdictions distinct from robbery). The evolution reflects a transition from broad categories of theft to precise crimes defined by intent and property type. First known uses appear in legal texts of the 13th–14th centuries in England, with later incorporation into common law and statutes in many English-speaking territories. Modern definitions typically distinguish larceny from related offenses such as robbery (presence of threat or force) and theft (a broader term depending on jurisdiction). Despite variations, most systems retain larceny as an intent-based taking of tangible property without owner’s consent.
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Words that rhyme with "larceny"
-eny sounds
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