/noʊˈtɔɹiəsli/
Say it backNotoriously is an adverb meaning widely and unfavorably known, typically for something negative or remarkable in a bad way. It adds emphasis to a description of reputation, signaling that the subject’s notoriety is well established and widely acknowledged. The word implies a characteristic event or trait that informs the speaker’s judgment and tone.
"The town is notoriously difficult to navigate in winter due to ice and narrow streets."
"She is notoriously punctual, rarely arriving late to meetings."
"That bakery is notoriously overpriced, yet many still line up for the croissants."
Notoriously is pronounced noʊ-TO-ri-əs-ly in US and UK. The primary stress is on the second syllable, TI, but the vowel in the second syllable is a long o sound in no-TO- ri-ously. Break it into syllables: no-TO-ri-ously, with /ˌnoʊˈtɔːr.i.əs.li/ in UK and /ˌnoʊˈtɔːr.i.ə.ˌsli/ in some Australian renditions. Ensure the /r/ is clearly pronounced in rhotic accents. Listen to native examples to refine the sequence: ‘no-TO-ri-ous-ly.’
Common errors include misplacing primary stress on the first or third syllable and reducing the second vowel too quickly in -to- or -ri-. Correct it by stressing the second syllable: no-TO-ri-ously, and keep the final -ly clearly articulated. Another trap is pronouncing the sequence as no-TOR-i-ously with a short o in the second syllable; aim for the long o sound: /noʊˈtɔːr.i.əs.li/. Practice by saying ‘noosphere’ style vowels, then apply to- ri-ously.”,
In US English, you’ll hear a rhotic /r/ after the second syllable, with clear /ɔː/ in the -tor- as in /ˈtɔr/. In UK English, /r/ is non-rhotic in many dialects, so the r in -tor- can be less pronounced or silent in some accents, giving /ˈtəː.ri.əs/. Australian English tends to be rhotic but with a broader vowel quality; the -ɜː/ or -ə- in the second syllable is often centralized. Across all, the primary stress remains on the second syllable, but vowel quality shifts—US/Rhotic about /ɔr/ vs UK /ɔː/ and AU may approach /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ depending on speaker.
The difficulty lies in the multiple vowel teams and syllable boundaries: no-TO-ri-ous-ly has a three-vowel sequence with a long o in the second syllable and a cluster at the end. Keeping accommodation of /r/ quality and the unstressed -ly is tricky; the primary stress on the second syllable can also lead to misplacing stress earlier or later. Practice with slow enunciation, then speed up while maintaining the long o and clear ‘r’ sound, ensuring the final -ly remains light and quick.
Notoriously requires precise timing to prevent the second syllable from becoming overly reduced or swallowed in fast speech. The long o in -to- must be preserved even when the phrase around it speeds up. In rapid delivery, listeners may hear no-TO-ri-ous-ly as an indistinct stream; you must hit the cooling off of the -ly so that final adverbial -ly doesn’t disappear. Practice with metronome-assisted speed control to maintain consistent pacing and vowel clarity.
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Notoriously derives from the adjective notorious, from Latin notorius, meaning 'well known, widely known.' The Latin form notorius itself comes from notus ‘known’ plus the suffix -torious, akin to -ous in English. The sense evolved through Old French notorieux before entering English in the 16th century with emphasis on being widely known for unfavorable traits. The core sense shifted from neutral ‘well-known’ to negative ‘famed for something disreputable’ as moral judgments intensified in literary and journalistic contexts. The modern adverbial form, notoriously, emerged naturally from turning the adjective into an adverbial modifier in English, allowing the word to qualify verbs, adjectives, or entire clauses with a tone of marked reputation. First known usage as an adverb traces to Early Modern English writings that used -ly to form adverbs from adjectives, aligning with other -ly adverbs of manner.”,
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Words that rhyme with "notoriously"
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