3 syllables: Lot, ter, y. Stress on Lot.
LAH-tur-ee
/ˈlɑtɚi/
Lottery is pronounced LAH-tur-ee (/ˈlɑtɚi/). It has three syllables (Lot-ter-y), with the stress on "Lot". Lottery is a noun referring to a method of selecting winners by chance, typically involving tickets or entries. It also denotes the event or drawing itself where prizes are won. In everyday use, it often conveys a sense of unpredictability and luck, with the draw taking place at scheduled intervals. The term can be used metaphorically to describe any random or chance-based selection process.
nounLottery is a noun referring to a method of selecting winners by chance, typically involving tickets or entries. It also denotes the event or drawing itself where prizes are won. In everyday use, it often conveys a sense of unpredictability and luck, with the draw taking place at scheduled intervals. The term can be used metaphorically to describe any random or chance-based selection process.
How to Pronounce Lottery
"She bought a lottery ticket and hoped for a big win."
"The lottery is drawn every Friday night on national television."
"Winning the lottery changed his life overnight, albeit with mixed consequences."
Lottery is pronounced /ˈlɒt.ə.ri/ in UK, /ˈlɑː.tər.i/ in US, and /ˈlɒt.ə.ɹi/ in Australian speech. Put primary stress on the first syllable: LO-tuh-ree. The middle syllable features a schwa or a quick schwa-like vowel, and the final syllable is a clear “ee” or “ee-ree” sound. Keep the /t/ crisp and avoid collapsing the syllables. Practice with: LOH-tuh-ree, listening for the subtle /ɹ/ in AU and /ɹ/ in US when ending the word.
Two common mistakes: 1) Flattening the middle syllable into a dull /tər/ or /tə/ without the schwa, making it ‘LOT-uh-ree’ instead of LO-tuh-ree. 2) Slurring the final /i/ into a quick /ɪ/ or /i/ and losing the final /ri/ segment. Correction tips: emphasize the middle syllable with a crisp /ə/ (schwa) and clearly pronounce the final /ri/ as /ri/ or /ɹi/ in US/UK/AU respectively. Use brief pauses between syllables to retain clarity.
US: /ˈlɑːtər.i/ with a rhotacized ending /ɹi/ and a pronounced final /i/. UK: /ˈlɒ.tə.ri/ with a shorter first vowel and a clear /ri/ ending; nonrhotic tendencies may soften the final /i/ slightly. AU: /ˈlɒ.tə.ɹi/ similar to UK, but Australians may have a slightly broader /ɹ/ and a dotted realization of the final vowel. Across all, the first syllable carries primary stress; vowel quality and rhoticity vary by region.
The difficulty mostly lies in the unstressed middle syllable and the final cluster /ri/ that can be reduced or merged in rapid speech. Learners often misplace stress, compress /tə/ toward /tər/ or skip the full final syllable, producing ‘LOT-uh-rah’ or ‘LO-ter’ instead of LO-tuh-ree. Practice by isolating each vowel—/ɒ/ vs /ɑː/—and ensuring the final /ri/ is fully articulated, even when speaking quickly.
In fast speech, many speakers reduce the middle vowel to a quick schwa and almost blur the final /i/ into a light /ɪ/ or /i/ sound, sounding like /ˈlɒtəɹi/ with a softer /ɹi/. To maintain clarity, keep the final syllable distinct: say LOH-tuh-ree with a visible /ri/ and a precise /t/ release between LO and tuh.
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Lottery originates from the Italian word lotteria, meaning a combination of “lot,” with roots in choosing by lot as early as the 15th century. The concept spread to English via French and other European languages in the 16th and 17th centuries. The older Latin term lota referred to a drawn lot, while the newer lottery sense shifted toward public drawings for prizes. In English, the word joined common usage in the 16th–17th centuries as governments and organizations used tickets and drawings to raise funds or allocate resources. The spelling reflecting “lot” plus a suffix suggests a system of drawing lots, a practice historically tied to medieval and early modern methods of distributing goods, land, or tokens by chance. Over time, lotteries evolved into formalized government and private games with regulated rules and prize structures. The term remains linked to risk, chance, and the random allocation of benefits.”,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Lottery" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Lottery" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Lottery"
-ery sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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