3 syllables: nul, li, ty. Stress on nul.
NOL-uh-tee
/ˈnɒləti/
nullity is pronounced NOL-uh-tee (/ˈnɒləti/). It has three syllables (nul-li-ty), with the stress on "nul". Nullity refers to the state of being invalid, without worth, or having no legal effect or consequence. It also denotes emptiness or nothingness in a broad philosophical or mathematical sense. In law, it denotes a void status; in philosophy or mathematics, it can describe a lack of substance or value.
Nullity refers to the state of being invalid, without worth, or having no legal effect or consequence. It also denotes emptiness or nothingness in a broad philosophical or mathematical sense. In law, it denotes a void status; in philosophy or mathematics, it can describe a lack of substance or value.
"The contract was declared a nullity, yielding no binding obligations."
"A declaration of nullity effectively nullifies the previously granted rights."
"The court found the evidence insufficient, treating the case as a nullity in the proceedings."
Say it as /ˈnʌl.ɪ.ti/ in US/UK/AU English. Start with a stressed short ‘uh’ /ʌ/ in NUL, then a brief schwa-less /l/ followed by a quick /ɪ/ in the second syllable, and finish with a clear /ti/ as ‘tee’. Mouth: lips relaxed, tip of tongue near the alveolar ridge for the /l/, then relaxed jaw on /ɪ/, finally tip of tongue behind teeth for the /t/ and a crisp /i/ vowel. Listen for a light, crisp final syllable rather than a heavy 'ty'.
Common errors: substituting /ʌ/ with a more closed /ɜː/ or /ə/ leading to 'nerr-uh-tee'; weakening the final /ti/ into a silent or '-ty' like /ti/ becomes /ti/ uncertain. Another is misplacing the stress as NUl-ɪ-ty; it should be NUL-ɪ-ty with primary stress on the first syllable. Correction tips: emphasize /ˈnʌl/ first, keep /ɪ/ short and unstressed, and end with a crisp /ti/ with a release at the teeth.
Across US/UK/AU, /ˈnʌl.ɪ.ti/ remains the core; the Primary stress on /ˈnʌl/ is consistent. US tends to a slightly lax /ɪ/ and a crisper /t/; UK often has slightly more rounded vowel quality in /ʌ/ and a slightly reduced final vowel; Australian tends to a more centralized /ɪ/ and a more fronted /i/; rhoticity differences do not affect this word since it does not involve post-vocalic /r/. Overall, vowel height and duration are the main differentiators.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with a stressed initial syllable, and the sequence /lɪ.ti/ where the /l/ transition into a light /ɪ/ followed by a clipped /ti/ can feel tight. The /ʌ/ in the first syllable can be mispronounced as /æ/ or /ə/. Achieve accuracy by securing the initial stressed syllable with a stronger /ʌ/ and keeping the middle /ɪ/ short, then delivering a clean, voiceless /t/ plus tense /i/.
There are no silent letters in nullity, but the consonant cluster at the boundary between syllables requires a light touch: avoid inserting extra vowels. The /l/ is a clear, light lateral; maintain a crisp /t/ release before the final /i/. Emphasize the chunk /lɪ/ without elongating the middle vowel, to keep the cadence natural and accurate.
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Nullity comes from Middle English nullitie, from Old French nullité, from Latin nullitas, from nullus meaning 'none, no, not any' and the suffix -itas '-ity' denoting state or condition. The Latin nullus itself is of uncertain ultimate origin, potentially linked to PIE root *ne-/*nul- meaning negation or zero. In Classical Latin, nullitas indicated emptiness or lack, and in medieval and early modern law, it broadened to signify invalidity or void status. By the 17th-18th centuries, English borrowed nullity with specialized senses in law (voidness of a contract), philosophy (absence of substance), and mathematics (empty concept as a valid form). The progression places nullity alongside terms like null and nullify, reflecting a consistent semantic core: the absence of legal effect, substance, or value. In modern usage, nullity is common in legal discourse, abstract philosophy, computer science (null pointers), and mathematics (null set) while maintaining its overarching theme of nothingness or zero value.
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Words that rhyme with "nullity"
-ity sounds
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