2 syllables: mon, thly. Stress on mon.
/ˈmʌnθli/
Say it backMonthly can function as a time-based adjective meaning occurring once per month, or as a noun referring to a publication issued every month. It also appears in phrases like “monthly meetings.” The term combines the adverbial idea of monthly frequency with either a descriptor or a publication, and its stress can shift slightly depending on whether it’s used as an adjective or noun.
"The monthly report is due on Friday."
"We subscribe to a monthly magazine."
"They host a monthly meeting to review progress."
Pronounce as MON-thlee with primary stress on MON. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈmʌnθli/. Start with /m/ then /ʌ/ as the relaxed ‘uh’ vowel, then the /n/, then /θ/ (the voiceless dental fricative as in thing), and finish with a light /li/ where the /l/ is clear and the final /i/ is a short, unstressed vowel. In rapid speech, the second syllable can be reduced to /li/ or /lɪ/. Audio references: you can compare with Forvo or Pronounce to hear native pronunciations.
Common errors: confusing /məˈnθli/ with /ˈmʌnθ/ (missing the /li/), or replacing /θ/ with /s/ or /f/ (e.g., /ˈmənsli/). Another frequent slip is overpronouncing the second syllable, making it /θli/ with a strong /iː/. Correction: keep /θ/ as a voiceless dental fricative, ensure the /l/ is light and the final /i/ is short; practice /ˈmʌnθli/ slowly, then speed up while preserving the /θ/ and /li/ quality.
US/UK/AU share /ˈmʌnθli/ in broad terms, with subtle vowel length. US tends to be slightly shorter vowels and clearer rhotics outside of syllable boundaries; UK is non-rhotic, so /r/ is not pronounced, and /θ/ remains the standard dental fricative. Australian tends to be slightly broader with a cut vowel quality, but the /θ/ remains. In all, the primary stress remains on the first syllable; the main regional variation is vowel quality and the presence of postvocalic features.
Two main challenges: the /θ/ sound in the middle, which many learners substitute with /s/ or /f/ or omit; and the clustering of /nθ/ followed by /li/, which requires keeping the alveolar nasal and dental fricative distinct. Also, the light second syllable /li/ can be reduced in fluent speech. Practice by isolating /θ/ with dental placement (tip of tongue to upper teeth), and by linking the /θ/ to /l/ without adding extra vowel between. Listen to native speakers and imitate the rhythm.
A unique concern is preventing the intrusion of a strong /m/ or /b/ before the /θ/ segment. Ensure your /m/ ends cleanly before the /θ/ instead of pulling into a bilabial or labiodental sound. Also watch for a possible misreading as /ˈmɔn(t)li/ where the /θ/ becomes /t/ or /d/. Maintain the dental fricative and avoid vocalization of the final /i/—keep a short, light vowel.
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The word monthly derives from Middle English monthly, from Old French mensuel, from Latin mensuālis, from mensis ‘month.’ The root element is mens- meaning ‘month,’ tied to the lunar or calendar month. The evolution tracks from Middle English usage where monthly explicitly described frequency or a period of a month, to more specialized uses in publications (a monthly magazine) and finance (monthly payments). The semantic shift emphasizes regularity at a monthly cadence rather than any month-specific attribute. Historically, mensis appears in Latin calendars and was adopted into Old French in the sense of ‘monthly,’ which later passed into English as mensuel and then monthly. The word’s first known English attestations align with early modern English legal, clerical, and mercantile records that describe recurring obligations or issues on a monthly basis. Over time, English extended the term to describe both recurring events and publications with a monthly cadence, retaining a sense of periodicity tied to a calendar month. The form and pronunciation have remained relatively stable, though spelling conventions reflect the French-derived suffix -ly, which sometimes influences stress patterns in compounds and noun-adjective uses.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "monthly" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "monthly"
-ney sounds
-ony sounds
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