5 syllables: Plat, i, tud, i, nous. Stress on tud.
plat-it-YOO-din-uhs
/plætɪˈtjuːdɪnəs/
Platitudinous is pronounced plat-it-YOO-din-uhs (/plætɪˈtjuːdɪnəs/). It has five syllables (Plat-i-tud-i-nous), with the stress on "tud". Platitudinous is an adjective describing a statement or remark that is dull or banal due to being overly familiar or widespread; it conveys a sense of cliché or triteness. It suggests wording that is stale because it repeats well-worn platitudes. The term often implies a lack of originality in expression, sometimes with a mildly cynical edge.
adjectivePlatitudinous is an adjective describing a statement or remark that is dull or banal due to being overly familiar or widespread; it conveys a sense of cliché or triteness. It suggests wording that is stale because it repeats well-worn platitudes. The term often implies a lack of originality in expression, sometimes with a mildly cynical edge.
"The speech was filled with platitudinous phrases that offered little real insight."
"Her lecture criticized the platitudinous assurances offered by politicians."
"Avoid platitudinous rhetoric; aim for concrete examples and originality."
Pronounce as /ˌplætɪˈtuːdɪnəs/ (US) or /ˌplætɪˈtjuːdɪnəs/ (UK). Stress falls on the second syllable of the root, with a secondary emphasis near the end: plat-i-TU-di-nous. Start with 'PLAT' (short a), then 'i' as in sit, 'tu' like 'two' but shortened, 'di' as in dip, and end with 'nous' sounding like 'nuss'. Listen for a crisp, non-mushy cadence between syllables.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying plat-i-TOO-din-us. Correction: keep primary stress on the third syllable: plat-i-TU-di-nous. 2) Slurring the 'tu' into 'tyoo'; correction: pronounce the 'tu' as a clear 'too' with a rounded lips for the /uː/ sound. 3) The ending 'nous' often becomes /nəs/ or /nəs/; correction: pronounce as /-nəs/ with a neutral schwa in the middle but keep final /s/. 4) Vowel quality: avoid a lax 'a' in 'plat'; use /æ/ as in cat, not /æɪ/ or /eɪ/.
In US English, primary stress is on the third syllable: /ˌplætɪˈtuːdɪnəs/, with a rhotic /r/ absent in this word. In UK English, /ˌplætɪˈtjuːdɪnəs/ may feature a more palatalized /tjuː/ sequence and a less pronounced /r/ but similar stress. Australian English mirrors UK patterns but may have slightly broader vowel qualities and a less clipped /t/ in rapid speech. Across all, the challenge is keeping the long /uː/ or /juː/ in the middle and preserving the final /nəs/ without rushing the ending.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic structure with a long central vowel cluster and a tricky 'tu' sequence that can sound like 'tyoo' or 'too', plus the final unstressed '-nəs' that can blur in quick speech. The primary stress sits a bit later (plat-i-TU-di-nous), so you must transfer weight to the third syllable while maintaining crisp consonants. Attention to the /tuː/ or /tjuː/ transition and a clean /d/ before the final /ɪnəs/ helps avoid muffled endings.
A unique aspect is the combination of a t+ju sequence in some accents (/tjuː/) versus /tuː/ in others. This creates subtle lip rounding and tongue blade positioning: for /tjuː/ you bring the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge and push the lips into a light rounding, whereas /tuː/ uses a steadier, more back-placed tongue with less front-palatal movement. Paying attention to this transition helps you land the third syllable cleanly in fast speech.
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Platitudinous comes from the noun platitude, meaning a flat, dull, or banal remark. Platitude originates in Late Latin platitudinis from platitus, past participle of platere ‘to be flat, spread out,’ influenced by French platitude. The English noun platitude appeared by the 16th century, with meaning expanding to a dull or banal remark. The adjective platitudinous emerged later to describe things characterized by platitudes—i.e., statements that are flat, cliché, and lacking originality. Historically, the word has carried a slightly formal or literary tone and is often used in critique or analysis of prose or rhetoric. Over time, platitudinous has retained its precise nuance: a critique of speech or writing that relies on overused, unoriginal, or superficial wisdom rather than substantive, novel insight.
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Words that rhyme with "Platitudinous"
-ous sounds
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