3 syllables: Pe, ri, cope. Stress on Pe.
PER-ik-ohp
/ˈpɛrɪkoʊp/
Pericope is pronounced PER-ik-ohp (/ˈpɛrɪkoʊp/). It has three syllables (Pe-ri-cope), with the stress on "Pe". Pericope is a short passage from a book (especially the Bible) that is read aloud or cited separately from the surrounding text. It refers to a self-contained unit, typically highlighting a particular scene or teaching. The term is used in scholarly and liturgical contexts. It is pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable.
nounPericope is a short passage from a book (especially the Bible) that is read aloud or cited separately from the surrounding text. It refers to a self-contained unit, typically highlighting a particular scene or teaching. The term is used in scholarly and liturgical contexts. It is pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable.
"- The lecturer quoted a well-known pericope from the Gospel of Luke."
"- In her sermon, she focused on the pericope about forgiveness."
"- The manuscript included a pericope that scholars debated for centuries."
US: /ˌpɛrɪˈkoʊpi/ ; UK: /ˌpɛrɪˈkoʊpi/ ; AU: /ˌpɛrɪˈkoʊpi/. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: per-i-COPE. Start with a light schwa in the first syllable, then a clear /ɪ/ before the stressed /ˈkoʊ/ and finish with /pi/. Think: per-ih-COH-pee, with a long O in the final syllable. When teaching, emphasize the second syllable and maintain even vowel quality between the first two syllables.”,
Two common errors: (1) Stressing the first syllable: pronounce as PER-i-cope instead of per-i-COPE; make the second syllable the peak. (2) Mispronouncing the final -cope as /koʊp/ with a shorter vowel; ensure ending is /koʊpi/ with a clear /i/ at the end. To correct, practice the three-syllable sequence with a slight rise in pitch on the second syllable and a long, unrounded /oʊ/ then /i/ at the end.”,
In all three, the primary stress remains on the second syllable. US and UK tend to have a clear /ɪ/ then /ˈkoʊ/; AU speakers often have rounded vowel quality and a slightly wider back /oʊ/. Rhoticity influences initial /pər/ vs /pəˈri-/ patterns; some UK variants may reduce the first vowel more toward /ə/. Overall, the main difference is vowel coloring in the first syllable and the final /i/ length, with AU often closer to /ˌpəɹɪˈkoʊpi/.”,
The difficulty centers on three phonetic cues: a) the unstressed first syllable with a subtle schwa /ə/ and linking to the second syllable; b) the strong secondary stress creating a tripartite rhythm; c) the final closed syllable /-koʊpi/ with a long /oʊ/ followed by a voiced /i/. Coarticulation between /ɹ/ and /k/ also challenges learners in rapid speech. Practicing as per-i-COPE, with emphasized second syllable, helps stabilize accuracy.”,
No silent letters in standard pronunciation. The sequence -rip- is pronounced as /rɪ/ (not /riː/), and -cope is pronounced /koʊpi/, not a silent or muted ending. The tricky part is maintaining the unstressed initial /pə/ sound and the strong /ˈkoʊ/ in the middle. The mouth positions involve a neutral initial /p/ release into a light /ə/ and then a clear /rɪ/ before /koʊ/ and /pi/.”]},
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Pericope comes from late Latin pericōpa, from Greek perikopē (περίκοπη), meaning “a cutting around” or “a cutting out.” The Greek root peri- means “around” and kopē means “cut.” Historically used in manuscript culture to denote a specific selected passage carved out for reading or study. The term entered Latin scholarship in late antiquity and was subsequently adopted into ecclesiastical and biblical scholarship during the medieval and early modern periods. The precise liturgical sense—an assigned reading from Holy Scripture—emerged in church practice as systems of lectionaries developed; scholars used pericope to distinguish a self-contained narrative or teaching block from the surrounding text. In modern usage, pericope generally designates any short extract, especially in biblical criticism, but can also refer to analogous selections in other literary traditions. The word preserves the sense of a “cut” or “segment” that stands apart for study or reading, underscoring its function as a discrete unit within a larger corpus.
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Words that rhyme with "Pericope"
-ope sounds
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