2 syllables: Lep, er. Stress on Lep.
LEP-ur
/ˈlɛpɚ/
Leper is pronounced LEP-ur (/ˈlɛpɚ/). It has two syllables (Lep-er), with the stress on "Lep". Leper is a noun referring to a person affected by leprosy, historically used in a stigmatizing way. In modern usage it’s largely literary or medical jargon when referring to the disease, but it can carry strong negative connotations when describing someone as socially outcast or morally condemned. The term is infrequent in clinical language today and，被 considered offensive in casual contexts.
nounLeper is a noun referring to a person affected by leprosy, historically used in a stigmatizing way. In modern usage it’s largely literary or medical jargon when referring to the disease, but it can carry strong negative connotations when describing someone as socially outcast or morally condemned. The term is infrequent in clinical language today and，被 considered offensive in casual contexts.
- You often mispronounce the first vowel as a short /ɪ/ or /e/; correct by sustaining a long /iː/ in the first syllable. - The second syllable can be over-articulated as /pər/; instead, relax to a softer /pə/ or /pər/ depending on accent. - Don’t insert extra consonants or syllables; keep it two syllables and avoid an overly rounded lip shape on the second vowel. - Ensure you don’t blend the two syllables into one; maintain clear vowel separation so LEP-er is audible. - For non-rhotic speakers, the final /r/ may be dropped; practice with and without the /r/ to sound natural in given context.
How to Pronounce Leper
"The once bustling town mourned its leper colony during the 19th century."
"Public health workers fought stigma, ensuring lepers received care without discrimination."
"In the novel, the protagonist is ostracized as a leper by neighbors."
You pronounce it LEP-er, with stress on the first syllable. IPA: US uk AU: /ˈliː.pər/. Start with a long 'ee' sound in the first syllable, then a quick, relaxed 'per' with the schwa or a light rhotic ending depending on accent. Tip: keep the /l/ light, the /iː/ steady, and finish with a soft /ər/ or /ə/ depending on your dialect. You’ll hear this as two short beats: LEP-ər.
Common errors include pronouncing the first syllable as 'lep-eh' with a short /e/ instead of /iː/, or pronouncing the second syllable with a strong /ɚ/ or /ər/ in non-rhotic accents. Correct by ensuring the first vowel is a long /iː/ and reducing the second to a schwa with a light /r/ if your accent allows it, or a clear /ər/ in rhotic accents. Keep syllable timing close and avoid adding extra consonants at the end.
In US and UK, the first syllable carries the primary stress /ˈliː.pər/ with a clear long /iː/. US rhotic speakers often realize a pronounced /ɹ/ in the second syllable; UK speakers may have a more reduced /ə/ or /ər/ depending on linking and non-rhoticity. Australian English tends toward a clear /ɜː/ for some speakers, but generally follows /ˈliː.pə/ with a light final vowel. Overall, rhoticity and vowel quality influence the second syllable most significantly.
The difficulty lies in balancing the long /iː/ with a rapid, reduced second syllable while maintaining clean liaison from the first to the second. Non-native speakers often shorten /iː/ or overly articulate the final /ə/ or /ər/. Focus on keeping the first vowel tense and long, then relax the second syllable into a quick, unstressed schwa or /ə/, depending on accent. Practice with minimal pairs to stabilize the rhythm.
A unique aspect is the transition from a tense, high-front vowel /iː/ to a lax, central vowel in the second syllable. This requires precise tongue height control and a gentle glide into the syllabic nucleus. In connected speech, you’ll often hear the second syllable reduced to /ə/ or /ər/ with a light r-coloring in rhotic accents. IPA guide: /ˈliː.pər/ in General American, /ˈliː.pə/ in many UK variants.
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- US: rhotic; the final /r/ is pronounced, with a slightly schwa-like second syllable. Mouth: keep the top teeth near the bottom lip for a light /ɹ/; tongue tip raised near alveolar ridge without curling. - UK: often non-rhotic; final /r/ may be silent; second syllable more centralized: /ˈliː.pə/. Mouth: relaxed jaw, neutral lip position. - AU: tends toward a clear but shorter second vowel; may also be /ˈliː.pə/ or /ˈliː.pɹə/ depending on speaker; use a soft, centralized vowel in the second syllable. IPA references: /ˈliː.pər/, /ˈliː.pə/ across accents.
Leper comes from the Late Latin leprosus, from Greek leprosos meaning 'scaly' or 'having scale-like skin' (lepros- meaning 'scaly, rough'). The term appeared in English in the 13th century, initially in religious and medical texts, derived from Latin leprosus and Greek lepros. Its early senses described physical disease; by the 18th–19th centuries, its social stigma intensified as leprosy carried moral and social exclusions. Through medical advances and advocacy, the modern shift has aimed to use person-first language (person with leprosy), though the word persists in literature and historical context. First known use in English literature appears in medieval chronicles; earlier Latin and Greek sources show cognate forms used to describe skin diseases broadly. Over time, the word’s semantic field narrowed to refer specifically to Hansen’s disease and the individuals afflicted, with pejorative undertones reinforced by stigma rather than clinical accuracy.
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Words that rhyme with "Leper"
-per sounds
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