4 syllables: Re, gur, gi, tate. Stress on gur.
rig-UR-juh-tayt
/ˌɹɪˈɡɝdʒəˌteɪt/
Regurgitate is pronounced rig-UR-juh-tayt (/ˌɹɪˈɡɝdʒəˌteɪt/). It has four syllables (Re-gur-gi-tate), with the stress on "gur". Regurgitate is a verb meaning to bring swallowed food back up from the stomach, often via the throat, or to repeat information in an unexamined or uncritical way. It implies expulsion or repetition without digestion or analysis. In broader use, it can describe overly literal repetition of what is heard or learned, sometimes without comprehension.
verbRegurgitate is a verb meaning to bring swallowed food back up from the stomach, often via the throat, or to repeat information in an unexamined or uncritical way. It implies expulsion or repetition without digestion or analysis. In broader use, it can describe overly literal repetition of what is heard or learned, sometimes without comprehension.
How to Pronounce Regurgitate
"During the exam, he tried to regurgitate memorized facts instead of applying understanding."
"The bird regurgitated a pellet of indigestible material for its young."
"She regurgitates press releases verbatim, which makes her reporting seem unoriginal."
Pronounce as /rɪˈɡɜːr.dɪ.teɪt/ in US and UK. Key features: stress on the second syllable: re-GUR-gi-tate; the first syllable is reduced to a short 'ri' sound, the middle 'gur' has a hard /ɜː/ or /ɜːr/ with a rhotic release in US, the 'gi' is a short /dɪ/ before the final /teɪt/ that closes with a clear /eɪt/. In fast speech, the /ɜːr/ may merge toward /ɜr/ or /əˈɡɜː/ depending on accent. Listen to native sources and repeat emphasizing the stressed syllable.
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing the primary stress, saying re-GUR-gi-tate with stress on the first or last syllable. 2) Vowel quality in the middle syllable, pronouncing /ɡɜː/ as /ɡɜr/ or mispronouncing the /dɪ/ as /dɪt/ or /də/. Correction: hold the nucleus on the second syllable: /rɪˈɡɜːr.dɪ.teɪt/, keep the /ɜːr/ as a single nucleus, ensure the /d/ is released before /ɪ/ and finish with /teɪt/. Practice with slowed syllables and mirror mouth positions to ensure the central vowel is rounded and not reduced.
US: rhotacized /ɜːr/ in the second syllable a stronger /ɜr/; final /teɪt/ is clear. UK: /ɜː/ without rhoticity in non-rhotic variants, often a shorter /t/ release at the end; the second syllable has less rhotic coloring. AU: tends to be a clearer, slower pronunciation with a more open mid vowels; vowel quality in the second syllable can be slightly tenser and more centralized. Overall, stress placement remains on the second syllable; vowel length and rhoticity vary subtly by region.
It combines a multisyllabic rhythm with a mid-vowel nucleus in the second syllable and a final aspirated /teɪt/ sequence that can blur in quick speech. The sequence /ˈɡɜːr.dɪ.teɪt/ requires precise tongue positioning: the mid-central /ɜː/ in the stressed syllable, a quick /d/ before /ɪ/, and a tense ending /eɪt/. In some dialects the /ɜːr/ reduces, and the final /eɪt/ may become /ət/ or /eɪt/ depending on formality and tempo.
A notable feature is the precise secondary stress-like emphasis on the /ɜːr/ nucleus in the second syllable, causing a perceptible beat: re-GUR-gih-tate. The /ɜːr/ part often challenges non-rhotic speakers who omit the rhotic release; ensure you maintain the rhotic release in US and some UK varieties. Also, maintain a clear /d/ before /ɪ/ to avoid turning it into a glide.
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Regurgitate derives from the Latin regurgitare, formed from re- “back” + gurgitare “to gush or gush forth,” which itself comes from gurgere “to chug or bubble.” The verb entered English through late Middle English and Renaissance medical and natural-philosophy contexts, initially describing the physical act of bringing stomach contents back up. In medicine and physiology, regurgitation was used to describe non-vomiting retrograde flow from the stomach or esophagus. By the 17th–18th centuries, metaphorical uses emerged in rhetoric and education to mean repeating information without critical processing. In modern usage, regurgitate spans clinical, biological, and figurative senses (repeating facts or opinions), with a stronger emphasis on the unconscious, reflexive nature of the action. The word carries a slightly negative connotation when used metaphorically, suggesting rote repetition rather than thoughtful engagement.
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Words that rhyme with "Regurgitate"
-ate sounds
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