2 syllables: law, suit. Stress on law.
LAW-soot
/ˈlɔˌsut/
lawsuit is pronounced LAW-soot (/ˈlɔˌsut/). It has two syllables (law-suit), with the stress on "law". A legal action brought by one party against another in a court of law to seek a remedy for a perceived wrong or damages. The term combines 'law' with 'suit' to denote a formal civil case, typically involving disputes over contracts, liability, or damages. Commonly used in professional, legal, and media contexts.
A legal action brought by one party against another in a court of law to seek a remedy for a perceived wrong or damages. The term combines 'law' with 'suit' to denote a formal civil case, typically involving disputes over contracts, liability, or damages. Commonly used in professional, legal, and media contexts.
- Misplacing stress by starting with the second syllable (/lɔːˈsjuːt/). Correction: maintain strong initial stress: /ˈlɔː.sjuːt/. - Merging /sju/ into a single /su/ or /sj/ sound, resulting in /ˈlɔːsut/. Correction: keep the /s/ onset followed by a distinct /j/ glide before the /uː/ vowel. - Erratic vowel length in /ɔː/: avoid shortening to /ɔ/ or lengthening inconsistently; keep a clear long/open-mid back vowel before the /s/.
Tip: practice the two-syllable rhythm: LAAW-syo͞ot with steady tempo. Use minimal pairs like /lɔː/ vs /lɔːr/ to train the first syllable. Record yourself and compare with a reference from a dictionary clip to catch subtle shifts in the /sju/ sequence.
"The company is facing a lawsuit over alleged violations of environmental regulations."
"She filed a lawsuit to recover medical expenses after the accident."
"The lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum."
Pronounce it as /ˈlɔː.sjuːt/ in rhotic American and British contexts, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable sounds like 'lore' without the r in non-rhotic accents; the second syllable begins with the consonant cluster /sju-/ where the 's' blends into /ju/ like 'you' but shorter. The final 't' is released crisply. Think: LAWS-OOt. An audio reference can be found in standard dictionaries or pronunciation tools.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying /ˈlɔː.suːt/ with a long /uː/ in the second syllable) and merging the /ju/ into /u/ or /juː/ as in 'laws-what.' Another mistake is pronouncing the second syllable as /sjuːt/ with a heavy /t/ release in rapid speech. Correction: keep /sjuː/ as a smooth /s/ followed by a close front rounded vowel + semivowel glide, then a crisp /t/. Practice by isolating /ˈlɔː/ and /sjuːt/.
In US and UK rhotic varieties, the main feature is rhoticity and a tight /ɹ/ in connected speech; the /ɔː/ in the first syllable remains steady. Australian English typically features a similar /ɔː/ but with slightly less length and a quicker transition to the /sjuː/ cluster. The second syllable /sjuːt/ remains a tight cluster; non-rhotic speakers may soften 'r' vowels but here the word doesn't include an /r/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /sju/ between syllables and the final /t/. The /ju/ glide after /s/ can be tricky when spoken quickly, causing a misarticulation like /ˈlɔː.sut/ or /ˈlɔː.sjuːt/ with a mis-timed vowel. Additionally, reducing the pause between syllables in fast speech can flatten the /sju/ into /sə/ or /ʃu/ if not carefully pronounced. Focus on maintaining a clear /s/ followed by /j/ as a distinct glide to /uː/.
A unique point is the /sju/ cluster, where /s/ flows into a /j/ sound (y as in you) before the long /uː/. This requires subtle tongue advancement: raise the blade of the tongue toward the palate for /s/, then bring the middle of the tongue up to form /j/, before rounding the lips for /uː/. Keeping the vowel length and glide separation precise helps avoid conflating with 'lawsuit' variants like 'laws- out' or 'law-suit' mispronunciations.
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- US: rhotic /r/ allophonically subtle but present in connected speech; keep /ɔː/ steady and avoid adding an extra vowel after /s/. - UK: less rhoticity; the /ɔː/ tends to be a bit tenser; ensure the second syllable retains the /j/ glide before /uː/. - AU: similar to US/UK with slightly more centralized vowel qualities; keep /ɔː/ length and avoid shortening before /sju/. - Vowel-specific notes: /ɔː/ is a long, open-mid back rounded vowel; /juː/ is a front rounded glide + high back rounded vowel; ensure no reduction to /u/ or /ju/ alone. - IPA anchors: US/UK/AU all align to /ˈlɔː.sjuːt/ in a careful reading; focus on the transition between /ɔː/ and /s/ to avoid crossover sounds.
Lawsuit originated in English-speaking legal language as a compound of 'law' and 'suit.' The root 'law' derives from Old English lagu (law, right) and Proto-Germanic *lagaz. 'Suit' in this sense is from Old French sute/suite, from Latin sicuta or secta meaning a following or sequence, but in legal usage came to mean a formal action or procedure pursued against someone. The modern sense, a formal civil action brought in court, emerged in the 16th–17th centuries as courts standardized civil processes and the language of legal action crystallized. While 'lawsuit' is essentially an American construction, similar terms exist in other jurisdictions (e.g., 'civil action' in the UK). The compound captures the concept of pursuing legal redress under the law, combining the notion of legal code with the act of initiating a case. First known uses appear in 16th–17th-century legal records and became commonplace in print by the 1700s, reflecting expanding civil litigation in common-law systems.
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Words that rhyme with "lawsuit"
-uit sounds
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