5 syllables: mi, me, o, graph, ed. Stress on mi.
MEYE-mee-oh-graft
/ˈmaɪ.miˌoʊɡræft/
mimeographed is pronounced MEYE-mee-oh-graft (/ˈmaɪ.miˌoʊɡræft/). It has five syllables (mi-me-o-graph-ed), with the stress on "mi". Mimeographed refers to something produced by a mimeograph, an old duplicating machine that copies text by forcing ink through a stencil. The term also describes documents printed in this manner. It conveys a sense of antiquated or archival reproduction, often used in reference to copies rather than originals. The word carries a formal, historical nuance in contexts discussing methods of distribution or documentation.
Mimeographed refers to something produced by a mimeograph, an old duplicating machine that copies text by forcing ink through a stencil. The term also describes documents printed in this manner. It conveys a sense of antiquated or archival reproduction, often used in reference to copies rather than originals. The word carries a formal, historical nuance in contexts discussing methods of distribution or documentation.
"The teacher handed out mimeographed worksheets from the 1960s."
"Archivists examined mimeographed bulletins for their provenance."
"Students discussed mimeographed handouts in the nostalgia-filled classroom."
Pronounce as /ˌmɪ.miˈɒɡ.ræft/ (US/UK). The primary stress falls on the third syllable: mi-ME-ograph, with a secondary stress on the first syllable in some rapid speech. Break it into three parts: /ˌmɪ/ - like 'mitt', /mi/ - 'mee', and /ˈɒɡ.ræft/ - 'OG-raft' with a soft 't' ending. Your mouth starts with a relaxed /m/, then a crisp /mɪ/ and a gentle drop to /miˈɒɡ/ before finishing /ræft/. Audio reference: you’ll hear Jiminy words in dictionaries and pronunciation sites for the three-beat cadence.
Common errors: misplacing stress (stressing the wrong syllable), pronouncing the /ɡ/ as a hard /g/ without the light jolt, and slurring the /r/ before /æ/ in non-rhotic accents. Correction: place main stress on the third syllable: mi-ME-óg-ræft, ensure the /ɡ/ is a soft, velar stop before /r/ and avoid turning /ɒ/ into a broad /ɔː/ in American speech. Practice with slow, measured syllables: /ˌmɪ.miˈɒɡ.ræft/ and gradually increase tempo while preserving the crest of the /ɡ/ and the /æ/ quality.
In US English, /ˌmɪ.miˈɒɡ.ræft/ has rhotic r and a clear /ɡ/ before /r/. In UK English, the /r/ is non-rhotic; you might hear /ˌmɪ.miˈɒɡ.rɑːft/ with a lengthened /ɑː/ and a weaker /r/. Australian English is rhotic but with a clipped /ɡ/ and a shorter /æ/; expect /ˌmɪ.miˈɒɡ.ræft/ with slightly different vowel timbre and a less pronounced final /t/. The key differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality around the /ɒ/ and /æ/.
Two main challenges: the three-syllable cadence with a late primary stress on the third syllable and the /ɡr/ cluster leading into the /æ/ vowel. The sequence /ɡ.ræf/ combines a velar stop with an alveolar liquid, which can blur in fast speech. You’ll also notice a subtle diphthong in /ɪ.mi/ and a short /ɒ/ before /ɡ/. Focusing on the clean separation: /ˌmɪ.miˈɒɡ.ræft/ helps reduce slurring and keeps the stencil-based imagery crisp.
The word includes a /ɡr/ cluster immediately before /æ/ and ends with /ft/, which is a common ending in older coinages. This combination can cause the final /t/ to be swallowed or the /r/ to detach in some accents. Emphasize the /ɡ/ and the /r/ preceding the /æ/ to preserve the intended septic rhythm, and ensure the final /ft/ is a crisp voiceless alveolar stop release.
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Mimeograph derives from mimeography, a duplicating process that uses a stencil to transfer ink onto paper. The root is mimeo- from Greek mimeō, meaning to imitate or mime, combined with -graph, from Greek graphé meaning writing or drawing. The mimeograph machine was invented in the 19th century and popularized in the early to mid-20th century for school handouts and small publications. The term mimeographed first appeared in English in the late 1800s to early 1900s as a verb or past participle form describing documents produced by the mimeograph process. Over time, the usage broadened to describe any copy produced by this method, though the technology became largely obsolete with the advent of photocopying. In modern usage, mimeographed items are often referenced in historical or nostalgic contexts, especially when discussing archival materials, student handouts, and organizational bulletins. While the process is no longer common, the word persists as a descriptor of the format and era of the material.
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Words that rhyme with "mimeographed"
-ted sounds
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