3 syllables: Quar, an, tine. Stress on Quar.
KWAW-ruhn-teen
/ˈkwɔɹəˌntin/
Quarantine is pronounced KWAW-ruhn-teen (/ˈkwɔɹəˌntin/). It has three syllables (Quar-an-tine), with the stress on "Quar". Quarantine noun: a strict isolation period intended to prevent the spread of disease, typically involving monitoring and restricted movement. It can refer to the period itself or the act of isolating individuals or goods. The term also carries historical and legal connotations, including authority-imposed detention and public health protocols.
nounQuarantine noun: a strict isolation period intended to prevent the spread of disease, typically involving monitoring and restricted movement. It can refer to the period itself or the act of isolating individuals or goods. The term also carries historical and legal connotations, including authority-imposed detention and public health protocols.
How to Pronounce Quarantine
"During the outbreak, travelers underwent a 14-day quarantine before entering the city."
"The farm implemented a quarantine zone to prevent the spread of illness among livestock."
"Some countries imposed a mandatory quarantine for travelers returning from high-risk regions."
Quarantine is pronounced /ˈkwɔːrənˌtiːn/ in US and UK English, with primary stress on the first syllable. Break it as QUAR-an-tine. The first vowel is a long open-mid back vowel in stressed position, the middle syllable uses a schwa or reduced vowel, and the final syllable has a long “teen” sound. Pay attention to the /kw/ cluster at the start and the /tiːn/ ending. US speakers often smooth the /ɔː/ toward /ɔ/; UK and AU maintain the longer /ɔː/ quality in careful speech. Audio references: [pronunciation dictionaries or language apps].
Common mistakes include misplacing stress, pronouncing the middle syllable as a full vowel rather than a schwa, and shortening the final /tiːn/ to /tin/ or /tən/. To correct: keep primary stress on QUAR, use a relaxed, unstressed middle syllable /ə/ (as in /ˈkwɔːrənˌtiːn/), and articulate the final long /iː/ as a tense, high-front vowel. Practice slow: QUAR-uhN-teen, then speed up while keeping the final /iːn/ clear.
US: /ˈkwɔːrənˌtiːn/ with rhotic /r/ in the first syllable and a clear /tiːn/ ending. UK: /ˈkwɒːrənˌtiːn/ often with non-rhoticity in slower speech but rhotic variants exist; vowel may be shorter and quality closer to /ɒː/. AU: /ˈkwɒːrənˌtiːn/ similar to UK, but with broader vowel traits and often stronger vowel length in stressed syllable. Across all, final /tiːn/ is typically tense and elongated. IPA references guide accuracy; listen to native speakers in varied contexts to capture subtle quality differences.
The difficulty centers on the initial /kw/ consonant cluster, the stressed first syllable, and the long /iːn/ at the end. The transition from /kw/ to a reduced middle /ə/ can feel abrupt; many speakers insert extra vowels or misplace the stress. In non-rhotic accents, the /r/ in the first syllable is subtle, and the final /tiːn/ can blend with a nasal. Concentrate on the clean /kw/ onset, accurate /ɔː/ or /ɒː/ vowel, and the crisp final /iːn/.
Quarantine has no silent letters; each letter contributes to its rhythm. The most phonetic challenge is the /kw/ onset and the long /tiːn/ ending. The middle syllable features a reduced vowel /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending on tempo. The final /n/ is often lightly aspirated in rapid speech. Emphasize the onset cluster and the final tense vowel to avoid mispronunciations like /ˈkwɒrɪnˌtiːn/ or /ˈkwɔːrənˌtɛn/.
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Quarantine traces to the Italian word quarantina, meaning a period of forty days. The practice emerged in maritime trade during the Middle Ages, when ships suspected of carrying plague were required to anchor offshore for 40 days before disembarkation. The form in English appears in the 17th century as quarantine or quarantin, aligned with other plague-related terms. Over time, the sense broadened from a specific 40-day period to the general concept of enforced isolation to prevent disease transmission, and later extended to broader public-health contexts, including airline and border policies. The word’s root connects to Latin quattuor and quaranta, reflecting the number forty, with the Italian maritime usage solidifying the term in Western health regulation. In modern usage, quarantine often distinguishes from broader terms like “isolation” (for those ill) and “restricted movement” (policy framework), and appears in legal documents, public health guidance, and everyday discourse about disease control.
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Words that rhyme with "Quarantine"
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