3 syllables: Re, main, der. Stress on main.
rim-AYN-dur
/ɹɪˈmeɪndɚ/
Remainder is pronounced rim-AYN-dur (/ɹɪˈmeɪndɚ/). It has three syllables (Re-main-der), with the stress on "main". Remainder is the portion of something left over after other parts have been used or removed. In math, it denotes the amount left after division. It also refers to what remains of a period, arragement, or sequence. The term often implies something that persists or endures beyond a defined portion or event.
nounRemainder is the portion of something left over after other parts have been used or removed. In math, it denotes the amount left after division. It also refers to what remains of a period, arragement, or sequence. The term often implies something that persists or endures beyond a defined portion or event.
"The remainder of the cake was shared among the guests."
"When you divide 13 by 5, the remainder is 3."
"Only a small remainder of the budget is left for emergencies."
Pronounce as rɪ-ˈmeɪn-dər. Stress on the second syllable: re-MAIN-der. US/UK/AU share the same core vowels: the first syllable is rhotic r- followed by a short i, the second is a long A (/eɪ/), and the final unstressed /dər/ or /də/. For reference, listen to the sound at Pronounce or Cambridge; the key is the /meɪn/ nucleus and the light, schwa-like /ər/ ending. IPA: US /rɪˈmeɪn.dɚ/, UK /rɪˈmeɪndə/, AU /rɪˈmændə/.
Common errors include: misplacing the stress (saying re-MAIN-der instead of re-MAIN-dər in some dialects), pronouncing the final -er too strongly (like ‘uh’), and merging the /m/ and /eɪ/ into a single syllable (re-may-der). Correct by ensuring the stress sits on the second syllable, keeping the final /ər/ light, and pronouncing /meɪn/ clearly between the /ɪ/ and /d/ to avoid a vowel digression.
US typically has r-ful rhotics and the second syllable contains a clear /eɪ/ (rɪˈmeɪndɚ). UK often uses a non-rhotic or lightly rhotic approach depending on region; the second syllable remains /eɪndə/ with a softer /ə/. Australian variants trend toward a closer /ɹɪˈmændə/ or /rɪˈmeɪndə/ with a more centralized ending. Overall, the vowel quality in /eɪ/ is quite stable; rhoticity and vowel reduction in the final syllable create the main differences.
The difficulty centers on the second syllable’s /eɪ/ diphthong and the final /ər/ vowel, which can reduce to /ə/ or /ɚ/ depending on accent. English speakers often misplace stress or fuse /meɪn/ with adjacent consonants, producing /ˈremendər/ or /rəˈmeyn.dər/. Practitioners should focus on sustaining the /eɪ/ nucleus clearly and keeping the final /ər/ light and unstressed.
A unique point is the clear division between the /meɪn/ and /dər/ segments; some speakers may glide from /ɪ/ toward /eɪ/ if not careful, causing an elongated middle. Emphasize the moraic boundary before /d/ and maintain a crisp /d/ followed by a soft, almost schwa-like /ə/ in UK/AU styles. Ensuring the /eɪ/ is audible helps avoid a rushed, indistinct middle syllable.
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Remainder comes from the Old French remainder, from remaner meaning 'to remain, stay behind.' The Latin root remanere combines re- 'back, again' with manere 'to remain.' In English, it entered in the 14th century with senses tied to what remains or is left behind after a subtraction, division, or event. Early uses in law and accounting described portions that survive or are left after deductions. Over time, the term broadened to general leftovers in various domains, including mathematics (the remainder after division), literature (the rest of a text), and everyday usage (what remains after an activity). The word retains a sense of persistence or something still present after other parts have been accounted for, distinguishing it from the whole or total amount. First known uses appear in Middle English legal and commercial records, with similar forms in Old French, reflecting a longstanding concept across languages of a portion that endures beyond the principal parts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Remainder" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Remainder"
-der sounds
-ner sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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