4 syllables: ne, gli, gi, ble. Stress on ne.
NEG-luh-juh-buhl
/ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/
negligible is pronounced NEG-luh-juh-buhl (/ˈnɛɡlədʒəbəl/). It has four syllables (ne-gli-gi-ble), with the stress on "ne". negligible means so small or unimportant as to be not worth considering; essentially insignificant. It is used to indicate that a quantity, effect, or factor is minor enough to be ignored in analysis or decision-making. The term often appears in scientific, mathematical, financial, and everyday contexts to signal negligible impact or value.
negligible means so small or unimportant as to be not worth considering; essentially insignificant. It is used to indicate that a quantity, effect, or factor is minor enough to be ignored in analysis or decision-making. The term often appears in scientific, mathematical, financial, and everyday contexts to signal negligible impact or value.
- CCommon mistakes: 1) Stress on the first syllable ne-GLI-; fix by placing primary stress on second syllable: nɪˈɡlɪdʒəbəl. 2) Treating the /dʒ/ as a hard /g/; correct by articulating /dʒ/ (voiced postalveolar affricate) after /l/, not /lɡ/ or /gj/. 3) Over-expanding the final -ble to 'bəl' with full vowel; reduce to schwa /ə/ in casual speech and keep final /l/ clear. - CPractice guidance: practise the transition from /l/ to /dʒ/ with a quick tilt of the tongue tip toward the alveolar ridge, allowing the /l/ to finish before the /dʒ/ begins. Rehearse with a quick pace to avoid separating /l/ and /dʒ/ too much. In slower reading, use a light /ə/ in the third syllable, and end with a crisp /l/.
"The difference in temperature between the two samples was negligible, so the results were pooled."
"Despite a price increase, the total cost remained negligible for most customers."
"The error margin was negligible, allowing the experiment to proceed with confidence."
Pronounce as /nɪˈɡlɪdʒəbəl/ in US and UK, with the primary stress on the second syllable. Start with the short ‘ni’ sound, then the ‘GLE’ as a soft 'g' + 'l' blend, followed by the 'i' as a short i, then a schwa in the third syllable 'ə', and finish with 'ble' as 'bəl'. Tip: the 'g' is a soft /dʒ/ sound in the combination 'gl' as in 'negligible' when you connect the syllables.”,
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying ne-GLI-gible or neg-LI-gible. 2) Overemphasizing the 'g' as a hard /g/ instead of the /dʒ/ blend (/nɪˈɡlɪdʒə/). 3) Skipping the weak vowel in the second-to-last syllable (no schwa). Correction: keep stress on the second syllable and deliver /dʒ/ after the /l/, then reduce the middle vowel to /ə/ in 'ble'.”,
US/UK/AU share /nɪˈɡlɪdʒəbəl/ but with rhythm and vowel quality differences. US tends to be rhotic with a clearer rhotic r in other words but not in this word; the /ɪ/ in first syllable remains short. UK often has tighter lips and crisper syllable boundaries; AU tends to a broader vowel in the first syllable and a slightly lighter /ə/ in the schwa, with a softer /əl/ at the end. The /dʒ/ cluster remains; focus on the reduction of the middle vowel and the final syllable’s schwa.”,
The challenge lies in the /dʒ/ sound after /l/ in the second syllable and the weak, unstressed middle vowels. You must glide from /l/ into /dʒ/ smoothly (a tricky consonant cluster), then reduce the third syllable to a schwa /ə/ rather than a full vowel, and end with /bəl/ where the l-darkening and syllable weight matter. Proper stress on the second syllable helps the word stay natural and prevents a clipped first syllable.”,
A unique aspect is the sequence nɪ-ˈɡlɪ-dʒə-bəl where the 'gl' blend precedes the /dʒ/; think of it as a quick transition from the /l/ into the /dʒ/ without a separate vowel in between. Keeping the /ə/ in the third syllable light and not turning it into a full vowel helps maintain the word’s natural rhythm and prevents a harsh or overly pronounced final syllable.
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- US: rhotacized? Not relevant here; actually 'negligible' is not rhotic in final syllable, but US tends to keep a slightly stronger final syllable weight. - UK: crisp syllable boundaries, slightly shorter vowel lengths, final /əl/ can sound lighter. - AU: broader diphthongs, more relaxed mouth positions; the 'ne' and 'gl' segments can be a touch more forward in the mouth; jaw and lip positions overall more relaxed. IPA references: /nɪˈɡlɪdʒəbəl/. - Vowel notes: /ɪ/ in first syllable common; /ə/ in the third syllable is reduced; /ɪ/ in second syllable remains. - Consonants: /n/ nasal, /ɡ/ sometimes perceived as /dʒ/ blend /ɡl/ becomes /ɡl/ with /dʒ/ following; ensure clarity of /dʒ/ as a single sound.”,
negligible comes from the Latin neglegabilis, meaning ‘unheeded, neglected, or trifling,’ formed from neglegere ‘to neglect.’ The word neglegere itself is a combination of neg- (not) + legere (to pick, gather, read), reflecting the sense of something not worth picking out or noting. First recorded in English in the 15th century, negligible began in legal or mathematical discourse to describe minor quantities or effects that could be ignored in calculations. Over time, its use broadened into general language to denote anything so small or unimportant that it can be disregarded, especially in assessments, analyses, or judgments where effect sizes or differences fall below a practical threshold. The evolution tracks a shift from precise, technical usage toward mainstream parlance, retaining its emphasis on minimal impact. The word’s current pronunciation and orthography align with its Latin roots, with spelling evolving to reflect the -g- in the root legere and the suffix -able that marks capability or suitability. The first known uses in English text appear in scientific and legal contexts, then progressively in other domains, especially in economics and statistics, as measurement and inference required explicit consideration of negligible effects. The term remains common in formal writing and high-level discussion where researchers or decision-makers must decide whether small factors matter at all in a given model or outcome.
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Words that rhyme with "negligible"
-ble sounds
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