2 syllables: lof, ty. Stress on lof.
LAWF-tee
/ˈlɔfti/
lofty is pronounced LAWF-tee (/ˈlɔfti/). It has two syllables (lof-ty), with the stress on "lof". Lofty describes something that is physically tall or high in position, as well as aspirational or noble in tone or ambition. It can also refer to grand or elevated ideas, or a place that is physically high up. In everyday use, it often conveys elevation, largeness, or idealized qualities, sometimes with a hint of pretension.
Lofty describes something that is physically tall or high in position, as well as aspirational or noble in tone or ambition. It can also refer to grand or elevated ideas, or a place that is physically high up. In everyday use, it often conveys elevation, largeness, or idealized qualities, sometimes with a hint of pretension.
"The loft apartment has a vaulted ceiling and a great view of the city."
"Her loft goals include publishing a novel and traveling the world."
"We stood on the loft floor and overlooked the orchard."
Lofty is pronounced with two syllables: LOF-ty. The primary stress is on the first syllable. In IPA (US/UK/AU), it is /ˈlɔf.ti/ (US), /ˈlɒf.ti/ (UK), /ˈlɒf.ti/ (AU). The first vowel is an open back lax vowel in Americans and a short open back in many UK/AU realizations. Tip: keep the mouth slightly rounded for the second vowel; avoid turning the second syllable into a separate, heavy vowel. You’ll often hear a light, almost clipped second syllable in rapid speech.
Common mistakes: 1) Reducing LOF to ‘low’ by rounding the lips too much and inserting a schwa in the second syllable. 2) Slurring the second syllable so it sounds like ‘loft-ee’ with an extended y; keep it short and light. 3) Misplacing the tongue to produce a lax or tense vowel; aim for a relaxed short o in the first syllable and a crisp final /i/. Corrections: practice /ˈlɔf.ti/ with a quick, clean stop between syllables and short, unaspirated second vowel.
US: /ˈlɔf.ti/ with open back vowel in the first syllable; non-rhotic tendencies are less strong in many regions, but the /r/ is not involved. UK: /ˈlɒf.ti/ with a shorter, more clipped first vowel and non-rhotic rhotic behavior; AU: /ˈlɒf.ti/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel quality that can be broader, sometimes closer to /ɔ/ in some dialects. Across all, the second syllable remains a short /i/. Note: rhoticity mainly affects preceding vowels, but /lo/ remains non-rhotic in UK/AU variants; US often features more rounded lip rounding on the first vowel.
The difficulty lies in the short, high front or back vowel in the first syllable, depending on accent, and the contrast to the clipped, unstressed second syllable. Achieving a clean separation between /ˈlɔ/ or /ˈlɒ/ and /ti/ without adding extra vowel sounds or lengthening the second syllable can be challenging, especially in rapid speech or in connected speech where the first vowel may approach a lax, schwa-like sound.
Does the first syllable of 'lofty' universally use a rounded vowel, and how does the mouth shape change when transitioning to the /t/? In many speakers the first vowel is back rounded /ɔ/ or /ɒ/, which requires lip rounding to a mild extent before the unrounded, short /ti/. The transition to /t/ should be a crisp, alveolar stop with a quick release, not a dental or alveolar trill. This sequence affects the perceived “weight” of the word and can trip listeners if the /t/ is tapped in rapid speech.
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US: rhoticity isn’t a major factor here, but ensure the /ɔ/ is open and rounded; UK/AU vowel often features a shorter, lax /ɒ/ with less lip rounding. Consonants: /l/ should be light with the tip at the alveolar ridge; /f/ is a voiceless labiodental fricative—keep it steady, not overly aspirated. AU tends to have slightly broader vowel purity; UK tends to crisper vowel length. Use IPA cues: /ˈlɔf.ti/ (US) vs /ˈlɒf.ti/ (UK/AU).
Lofty originates from the Old English word lof, related to praise or song, and the suffix -tīg which formed adjectives, evolving to describe height and elevation. The term appeared in Old English as loflic or lofian to praise or exalt, transitioning over centuries to describe physical height (as in a lofty tower) and metaphorical elevation (lofty ideals). In Middle English, loft became a noun for attic storage space and later an adjective meaning tall or elevated. By Early Modern English, loften or lofty took on figurative senses of dignity and grandeur, often with a slightly pretentious nuance. The core sense combines physical height with aspirational quality, and by the 18th–19th centuries, “lofty” frequently described grand rhetoric or noble sentiments, though it could carry an occasional critical connotation of impractical or overbearing ambition. First known uses appear in translations and poetry that praise or elevate concepts, gradually stabilizing into the modern sense of height or elevation in both literal and figurative language.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "lofty" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "lofty" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "lofty"
-fty sounds
-hty sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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