4 syllables: re, mit, ti, tur. Stress on ti.
rem-it-IT-uhr
/ˌrɛmɪˈtɪtər/
remittitur is pronounced rem-it-IT-uhr (/ˌrɛmɪˈtɪtər/). It has four syllables (re-mit-ti-tur), with the stress on "ti". Remittitur is a legal term referring to an order by a court to a lower court to send back a case or judgment for reconsideration or adjustment. It can also denote a dismissal or reduction of a writ or verdict under appellate procedures. In essence, it describes a corrective judicial transmission rather than a substantive ruling on the merits.
Remittitur is a legal term referring to an order by a court to a lower court to send back a case or judgment for reconsideration or adjustment. It can also denote a dismissal or reduction of a writ or verdict under appellate procedures. In essence, it describes a corrective judicial transmission rather than a substantive ruling on the merits.
"The appellate court issued a remittitur directing the lower court to modify the verdict accordingly."
"After the remittitur was issued, the trial judge recalculated damages."
"Law students study remittitur procedures as part of appellate procedure."
Phonetically, remittitur is /rɪˈmɪtɪtər/ in US English, with a secondary stress on the second syllable; UK speakers often render it /rɪˈmɪtɪtə/. The first syllable is unstressed in practice when the term appears in dense legal prose, but for clarity in court or oral arguments you may stress the second syllable: re-MIT-i-tur. Tip: say it fast in natural rhythm after saying “the remittitur directs” to lock in the cadence.
Common errors: misplacing the stress, saying re-MIT-ih-tor or re-MIT-ih-tour, and pronouncing the final -tur as -ter or -tər inconsistently. Correct by stressing the second syllable: re-MIT-i-tur, with a clear -tər at the end. Keep the middle vowel short and crisp: /ɪ/ as in kit. Practice with slow repeats then speed up while maintaining the tight mouth position for the final syllable.
In US English you’ll hear /rɪˈmɪtɪtər/ with rhotic r and a schwa-like ending optional, depending on rhythm. UK English tends to /rɪˈmɪtɪtə/, with a slightly shorter final syllable and less rhotic emphasis in rapid speech. Australian English is similar to UK, often ending with /-tə/ or /-tə/, and the middle /ɪ/ can be slightly shorter. In all cases, the key is the stressed second syllable and crisp consonants around -mit- and -tər.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic structure and the cluster -mit- followed by -tər, which can blur in rapid speech. The vowel in the middle syllable is short, and the trailing -tur can be reduced in fast talk. Learners often misplace the stress or insert an extra syllable (re-MIT-ti-tor). Focused practice of the second syllable with a clean /t/ release and a stable /ər/ or /ə/ ending will help.
In careful pronunciation, the final -tur is typically realized as /tər/ or /tər/ with a schwa-like ending, especially in US English: /rɪˈmɪtɪtər/. In rapid legal discourse, the final may quickly reduce to /-tə/ or even a syllabic /tər/ without a pronounced vowel, but you should maintain a brief, crisp /ər/ to avoid ambiguity. Always favor a clear /t/ release before the final schwa to ensure intelligibility.
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Remittitur traces to Latin remittere, meaning to send back, return, or send again. The suffix -itur is a form used in certain legal Latin terms to indicate a passive or resultative action. Historically embedded in English law and Roman legal traditions, remittitur appears in American jurisprudence as a clerical order from appellate courts to trial courts to return the proceedings for further action consistent with the appellate ruling. Its first attestations align with early modern legal dictionaries and case reporters where appellate decisions required the trial court to adjust, reteach, or re-supply the record in light of the appellate determination. The word’s semantic core—sending back for correction or reconsideration—has remained stable, even as the mechanics of remittitur (e.g., how damages or proceedings are adjusted) have evolved with procedural reforms. In contemporary usage, remittitur is almost always a procedural instrument in appellate litigation, distinct from a new trial remand. The term’s form reflects Latin roots and a direct transmission of judicial authority from appellate to trial levels.
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Words that rhyme with "remittitur"
-ter sounds
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