2 syllables: Med, ley. Stress on Med.
MED-lee
/ˈmɛdli/
Medley is pronounced MED-lee (/ˈmɛdli/). It has two syllables (Med-ley), with the stress on "Med". Medley is a noun referring to a varied assortment or mixture, often of music or songs, presented as a single compilation. It implies a curated blend rather than a uniform piece, typically covering several styles or tunes. The term is common in musical contexts but can also describe a mixed assortment of items or ideas.
nounMedley is a noun referring to a varied assortment or mixture, often of music or songs, presented as a single compilation. It implies a curated blend rather than a uniform piece, typically covering several styles or tunes. The term is common in musical contexts but can also describe a mixed assortment of items or ideas.
- You may blend the tensed first syllable with the second, turning MED-lee into a single syllable; ensure a clear boundary and a crisp /d/. • - Commonly you push the /li/ too far back, producing a dull or muffled second syllable; aim for a light, forward lip position to articulate /l/ clearly. • - Some learners substitute /ɛ/ with /eɪ/ or reduce the first vowel; keep the short /ɛ/ as in ‘bed’ and finish with /li/.
"The concert opened with a medley of classic rock tunes."
"She performed a medley of love songs, weaving them into a seamless suite."
"The chef created a delicious medley of vegetables from the farmer's market."
Pronounce as MED-lee, with a primary stress on MED. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈmɛd.li/. The first syllable uses the short e as in ‘bed,’ and the second syllable sounds like ‘lee.’ Keep the /d/ crisp and avoid a syllabic or trailing vowel in the second syllable. For audio reference, imagine the cadence of ‘med-lee’ in musical context.
Common errors: (1) Slurring the second syllable into ‘med-lee’ without clear /l/; (2) Misplacing stress as MED-ley with weak secondary beat, or pronouncing it as MED-lee with extra schwa. Correction: emphasize the /d/ before a crisp, lightly aspirated /l/ in the second syllable; keep the vowel in the second syllable short and avoid adding an extra vowel after the /l/. Practice with slow, exaggerated enunciation then normalize tempo.
In US/UK/AU, the word remains two syllables with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈmɛd.li/. The differences are minor: US speakers may have a slightly flatter vowel in the first syllable; UK speakers often have crisper /d/ and a sharper /l/ sound; Australian pronunciation is similar to UK but with a more centralized or vowel-reduced first vowel depending on speaker. Overall, rhoticity has little impact here as /r/ is not present; focus on crisp /d/ and clear /l/ in the second syllable.
The challenge lies in maintaining even, crisp timing between the two syllables and preventing the /d/ from bleeding into the /l/. The second syllable /li/ requires a clean L with a light, nearly syllabic vowel, which can be unfamiliar for non-native speakers. Additionally, many learners momentarily soften the /e/ in /mɛd/ or produce an overtone that sounds like ‘med-lee’ with a drawn-out second vowel. Focused practice on the /d/–/l/ transition helps.
A distinctive aspect is the rapid, light transition from the alveolar stop /d/ to the lateral /l/ in the second syllable. You want a clean stop before the lateral release, avoiding glottalization or vowel intrusion. This creates the characteristic neat “med-lee” rhythm that aligns with musical usage. Practicing with metered counts (e.g., 1-2) helps anchor the timing and stress.
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- US: Short /ɛ/ in MED; crisp /d/; second syllable with a bright /i/; minimal vowel length difference from /iː/. - UK: Similar to US, but a slightly more clipped /d/ and a crisper /l/; keep the vowel in /li/ tight. - AU: Slightly broader, with a more centralized /ɪ/ or /eɪ/ in some speakers; maintain a clear /d/ then /l/, avoid vowel merging. All share rhotic differences negligible for this word. IPA references: /ˈmɛd.li/ in all three, with minor vowel quality shifts.
Medley originates from the French word medlie, from the Old French moyen, meaning ‘mixed,’ ultimately from Latin mixtus. The sense shifted in English to describe a dish or arrangement of mixed tunes, expanding into broader figurative use for any varied assortment. By the 16th–17th centuries, “medley” appeared in music to denote a patchwork arrangement of different tunes, often in quick succession, preceding the modern sense of a heterogeneous collection. Over time, its usage broadened beyond music to describe any mixed compilation, such as a medley of flavors or a medley of opinions. The term’s trajectory tracks the general English tendency to borrow and naturalize French-derived words into common usage, preserving the sense of mixture and compilation across contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Medley" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Medley" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Medley"
-ady sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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