3 syllables: Re, dol, ent. Stress on Re.
RED-uh-luhnt
/ˈɹɛdələnt/
Redolent is pronounced RED-uh-luhnt (/ˈɹɛdələnt/). It has three syllables (Re-dol-ent), with the stress on "Re". Redolent is an adjective meaning reminiscent or suggestive of something, especially by a strong or distinctive smell. It often describes a smell or atmosphere that evokes memories or associations. In usage, you can say a city redolent with history or a redolent aroma filling the room.
adjectiveRedolent is an adjective meaning reminiscent or suggestive of something, especially by a strong or distinctive smell. It often describes a smell or atmosphere that evokes memories or associations. In usage, you can say a city redolent with history or a redolent aroma filling the room.
- You’ll often misplace primary stress on the first syllable (re-DO-lent). Fix by emphasizing the second syllable with a louder vowel and slightly longer duration. - The middle vowel can shift toward a more lax quality (ɪ or ə) instead of the emphasized /ɒ/ or /ɔ/; train with minimal pairs to lock the stressed vowel. - Final -lent can be reduced too much, sounding like -lənt; aim for a crisp final -lent with a light, non-syllabic end to avoid running it together.
"The kitchen was redolent with the scent of fresh basil and garlic."
"Her childhood home is redolent of lilac and rain."
"The old library was redolent of dust, leather, and quiet grandeur."
Pronounce as ri-DO-lent with the primary stress on DO. IPA: US rɪˈdɒlənt, UK rɪˈdɒl.ənt. Start with a short 'ri' then stress the second syllable, 'dɔ' (like 'doll' without a strong L) and finish with a light 'ent'. Audio examples can be found on Pronounce or Cambridge dictionaries; listen for the clear second-syllable emphasis and the final unstressed -ənt.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress on the first syllable (re-DO-lent instead of ri-DO-lent) and reducing the middle vowel to a schwa too early (rɪ-dɔ-lənt). Another pitfall is pronouncing the final -lent as a strong ‘lent’ rather than the lighter ‘lənt’. Focus on keeping the second syllable prominent and the final unstressed -ənt. Practice with minimal pairs to fix the rhythm.
In US and UK, the primary stress remains on the second syllable: ri-DO-lent. US often merges the first syllable as /rɪ/ and uses /ˈdɒ/ or /ˌdɔl/ in the stressed vowel, while UK tends to a crisp /ˈdɒl/ with a more clipped final -ənt. Australian English typically aligns with non-rhotic tendencies and can have a slightly more centralized middle vowel, but the stressed syllable remains clearly on the second. IPA guidance helps you tune the exact vowel quality per accent.
The difficulty lies in the unstressed final syllable -lent, which often reduces to a quick, schwa-like ending (-lənt). The middle vowel in the stressed syllable can be tense for non-native speakers, sounding like /ɒ/ or /ɔ/ depending on accent. Also, the cluster -dl- in the middle creates a subtle consonant transition that can feel awkward if you’re not used to it. Practice the two-stress rhythm and end with a light, relaxed -ənt.
Redolent has no silent letters, but the only unusual aspect is the strong, two-beat secondary rhythm on the second syllable, with the primary stress there. The word is pronounced ri-DO-lent and does not reduce the second syllable to a full unstressed form. The middle vowel in the stressed syllable carries the tension, so you’ll want a full, open unrounded vowel quality in that syllable while keeping the first syllable quick and light.
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- US: rhoticity is common; ensure the /r/ is pronounced lightly as a approximant before the vowel, with a slightly shorter first syllable. - UK: crisper vowel in the stressed syllable, avoid overt rounding; the second syllable carries the core vowel /ɒ/ or /ɔ/. - AU: tends to a non-rhotic pattern with a slightly broader mouth opening on the stressed vowel; keep final -ənt light. Across all, keep the second syllable prominent and avoid over-enunciating the final -t.
Redolent comes from the Latin redolent- meaning ‘smelling, wafting from’ from the verb redolere, which is composed of red- (back, again) and olere (to smell). In Latin, redolent described things that give forth a scent. The term entered English via Old French or directly through scholarly Latin, gaining its figurative sense of evoking memories or associations beyond smell. By the 15th–16th centuries, redolent was used more broadly to describe anything that suggested or reminded one of something through an impression, not just scent. Today, redolent commonly means “reminiscent” or “fragrantly suggestive,” especially with smell. Its nuance hinges on a strong, pleasant, or distinct odor or atmosphere that lingers in memory, often with figurative weight as in “redolent of history.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Redolent" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Redolent"
-ent sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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