2 syllables: Re, cite. Stress on cite.
ruh-SEYET
/ɹəˈsaɪt/
Recite is pronounced ruh-SEYET (/ɹəˈsaɪt/). It has two syllables (Re-cite), with the stress on "cite". Recite is a verb meaning to say aloud from memory, often or formally, such as a poem, passage, or list. It implies delivering pre-learned material with precise articulation and intonation. The act of reciting emphasizes accuracy, fluency, and a controlled pace, typically in a public or studied context rather than spontaneous speech.
verbRecite is a verb meaning to say aloud from memory, often or formally, such as a poem, passage, or list. It implies delivering pre-learned material with precise articulation and intonation. The act of reciting emphasizes accuracy, fluency, and a controlled pace, typically in a public or studied context rather than spontaneous speech.
- You may pronounce the second syllable too weakly; ensure the /saɪt/ is strong and crisp. - The /r/ in US accents can be subdued in rapid speech; practice with a clearly voiced initial /r/ before the vowel. - People often blur the /t/ into a soft stop or replace it with a stop-release that isn’t audible; practice a clean /t/ release after /saɪ/. - In connected speech, you might link the /r/ to the /ɪ/ making /rɪ.saɪt/ sound like /riˈsaɪt/; keep the first syllable lighter, the second emphasized, and avoid smoothing the boundary too much.
How to Pronounce Recite
"She can recite the Gettysburg Address by heart after weeks of study."
"During the class, students will recite their memorized poems with clear articulation."
"The judge asked him to recite the oath aloud and without hesitation."
Recite is pronounced /rɪˈsaɪt/ in US English, with stress on the second syllable. Start with a short, unstressed /rɪ/ then a strong, stressed /saɪt/, where /aɪ/ is a long vowel as in ‘eye’ and the /t/ is a clear, final stop. In careful enunciation, ensure the /ɹ/ is pronounced, the /ɪ/ is light, and the transition to /ˈsaɪt/ is crisp. You’ll hear it as re-SITE, with emphasis on the second syllable.
Common mistakes include slipping into /rɪsˈaɪt/ with a less clear /t/ release or misplacing the stress as re-CITE. Some learners shorten it to /ˈriːsaɪt/ by elongating the first syllable, or mispronounce the /s/ as /z/. To correct: keep stress on the second syllable, articulate /saɪt/ distinctly with a clean /t/ release, and keep the initial /r/ crisp without turning it into a vowel-dominant sound.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /rɪˈsaɪt/ pattern remains, but rhoticity affects preceding segments. US speakers may produce a rhotic /r/ before vowels; UK and AU often have less perceptible /r/ in non-rhotic environments. The diphthong /aɪ/ remains central across accents, but the preceding /r/ can influence onset warmth—US tends to a slightly faster, tighter /r/; UK AU may show subtler /r/ and more rounded vowel transitions in connected speech.
The difficulty lies in producing a crisp onset /r/ followed by a crisp /ɪ/ to /aɪ/ transition into /t/. The diphthong /aɪ/ requires precise tongue height and glide control, while the final /t/ must be released cleanly without a muffled stop. Learners often blur the /ɪ/ and /aɪ/ or fuse /r/ with the vowel. Focus on separating the syllables and articulating /saɪt/ with a firm stop at the end.
Recite has no silent letters; every letter typically contributes to the sound. The pronunciation relies on a clear /r/, a stressed /saɪt/ with a long /aɪ/ diphthong and a final /t/. The key is timing the transition from /ɪ/ to /aɪ/ and releasing the /t/ sharply. There’s no silent letter sequence to worry about in standard pronunciation.
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- US: Pronounce the initial /r/ clearly; keep /ɪ/ short and light before the /saɪt/; the final /t/ should be a crisp alveolar stop. - UK: In careful speech, you’ll still hear /r/ if followed by a vowel; maintain non-rhotic tendencies in broader accents, but ensure /saɪt/ remains distinct. - AU: Similar to UK but with slight vowel quality differences; the /ɹ/ can be more relaxed in speed; keep the /aɪ/ glide evident. Use IPA as reference: /rɪˈsaɪt/; pay attention to rhoticity and vowel length.
Recite comes from Middle English reciten, from Anglo-French reciter, from Latin recitare, which means to read aloud or recount. The Latin term is re- “again” + citare “to put in motion, to excite, to summon,” itself derived from citus “summoned, excited.” In Classical Latin, recitare meant to read or recite aloud from memory or to recount. The sense broadened in English during the 14th–15th centuries to include repeating from memory or delivering prepared lines, especially poetry or orations. Over time, it retained its core sense of vocalizing learned material with attention to accuracy and cadence. The word has two common usage strands: formal recitation (poems, oaths, prayers) and everyday repetition of lines or lists for practice. First known use attested in Middle English sources around the 14th century, aligning with scholarly and ecclesiastical contexts where precise, memorized delivery was valued. The evolution reflects education’s historical emphasis on memorization as a foundation of literacy and public speaking. As education expanded, recite became a versatile verb for any act of saying something from memory, whether ceremonial or educational. Today, recite often appears in classroom instructions, poetry readings, legal oaths, and performance auditions, preserving its sense of intentional, measured vocalization from memory.
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Words that rhyme with "Recite"
-ite sounds
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