Paginate is a verb meaning to divide content into pages or to insert page numbers into a document. It often applies to books, reports, websites, or any multi-page material, and can imply the process or action of arranging in page-sized portions. In computing, it can also refer to the navigation between discrete pages of data.
"The editor decided to paginate the manuscript to improve readability."
"Please paginate the long report so each section starts on a new page."
"Web content was automatically paginated to reduce scrolling."
"The PDF should be paginated before printing for proper formatting."
Paginate derives from the noun page, via Late Latin pagina meaning a sheet or page, and from French paginer, which meant to number pages or annotate. The verb form paginate emerged in English around the 17th–18th centuries as printing and manuscript practices required formal page numbering and organization. The root word page traces to Latin pagina, from pag- ‘a sheet, leaf,’ possibly related to the Greek pagraios ‘stumbling block’ through a complex lineage, but in modern usage it clearly carries the sense of dividing text into discrete pages. Over time, pagination broadened beyond printed books to include digital documents, websites, and UI components, where it denotes navigation control and structured content flow. The term often coexists with related actions like indexing, formatting, and layout. First known use in English appears in technical or printing contexts as the practice of assigning page numbers to sections, then evolving into a standard operation in word processing and digital interfaces.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Paginate" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Paginate"
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Pronounced /ˈpædʒɪ.neɪt/. Start with the stressed first syllable /ˈpædʒɪ/—the 'pag' sounds like 'pag' in 'page', followed by a short /dʒ/ as in 'jam', then a syllable with /ɪ/ (short i) and ending with /neɪt/ as in 'neat'. The sequence is two syllables after the initial 'pag' chunk, totaling three: pa-dge-i-nate with primary stress on PA. Keep the jaw light and the tongue raised for the /dʒ/.
Common errors include pronouncing the first syllable as /pæɡ/ with a hard g instead of /pædʒɪ/ (the /dʒ/ is a voiced postalveolar affricate, not a hard g). Another frequent mistake is devoicing the final /t/ or merging /neɪt/ into /neɪ/; ensure the /t/ is released clearly. Finally, some speakers misplace the stress, saying /ˌpædʒɪˈneɪt/ or /ˈpædʒɪnˌeɪt/; maintain primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈpædʒɪ.neɪt/.
In US/UK/AU accents, the pronunciation remains /ˈpædʒɪ.neɪt/, but vowel quality in the /æ/ may be slightly more open in American speech. The /dʒ/ digraph is consistent across accents, though some regional speakers may syllabify differently (pa-dge-nate vs pa-djɪ-neɪt). US rhoticity does not affect the word’s pronunciation; the main differences are subtle vowel shifts and tempo. Overall, the word remains three syllables with strong initial stress in all three variants.
The challenge lies in the /dʒ/ cluster following a short vowel in the first syllable and the clear release of the final /t/. Some speakers mispronounce it as /ˈpædʒɪˌneɪt/ with weak second syllable stress or mis-separate into pa-d-jin-ate. Focus on keeping a crisp /dʒ/ immediately after /æ/, and ensure the final /t/ is released with a light touch, not swallowed. The sequence pa-dʒɪ-neɪt demands precise tongue contact and a smooth transition between syllables.
Despite the 'paginate' spelling, the /dʒ/ sound anchors the /g/ letter to a soft, voiced post-alveolar affricate, not a hard /g/. Do not pronounce as /ˈpædɡɪneɪt/ or /ˈpædʒɪnaɪt/. Keep the cluster /dʒ/ tight to the /ɪ/ before the /neɪt/ tail, and avoid inserting extra schwa between /ɪ/ and /neɪt.
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