ris-PEKT
/ɹɪˈspɛkt/
respect is pronounced ris-PEKT (/ɹɪˈspɛkt/). Respect refers to a regard for the feelings, rights, traditions, or abilities of others, often demonstrated through consideration, politeness, and deference. It can also denote a feeling of admiration toward someone’s qualities or achievements. In usage, it spans interpersonal interactions, cultural norms, and professional protocols, signaling esteem and recognition.
Respect refers to a regard for the feelings, rights, traditions, or abilities of others, often demonstrated through consideration, politeness, and deference. It can also denote a feeling of admiration toward someone’s qualities or achievements. In usage, it spans interpersonal interactions, cultural norms, and professional protocols, signaling esteem and recognition.
- Common phonetic challenge: ending cluster /kt/ can be reduced or devoiced; ensure you release a clear stop: [t] and avoid an intrusive vowel after /t/. - You may over-elongate the first syllable, producing /ˈriːspɛkt/; keep it short and light. - Another frequent error is unstressed schwa insertion in the first syllable: avoid rɪ- schwa; use a quick, reduced /rɪ/ rather than /rə/.
"She showed respect for her mentor by listening carefully and taking notes."
"In many workplaces, respect is a prerequisite for effective collaboration and trust."
"The ceremony demanded quiet and solemn respect for the ceremony’s significance."
Pronounce as rɪˈspɛkt with primary stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is a reduced, quick ‘ri’ sound, the second syllable has a clear short ‘e’ as in ‘bet,’ followed by a final ‘kt’ consonant cluster. In connected speech, you’ll often hear a light, quick syllable before the stressed ‘PECT’; keep the vowel crisp and the final consonant released. IPA: /rɪˈspɛkt/; US/UK/AU share this core pronunciation.
Common errors include pronouncing as /riˈspɛkt/ with a weak second syllable or misplacing the stress as /ˈriːspɛkt/. Another mistake is inserting an extra vowel, resulting in /rəˈspɛk.tə/ or trimming the ending to /ˈspɛk/. To correct: keep the second syllable clearly stressed: rɪ-ˈspɛkt, ensure the vowel is a short /ɛ/ rather than a lax /ə/ and avoid linking the kt too softly. Practicing with minimal pairs helps maintain the /spɛkt/ chunk.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /rɪˈspɛkt/ remains, but rhoticity affects preceding r: US and AU typically rhotic with /ɹ/ pronounced before vowels, while some UK variants may be non-rhotic in careful speech, leading to a slightly stronger vowel before /t/ and less audible /r/ before vowels. Vowel quality of /ɛ/ and the /kt/ cluster can shift subtly with accent; US often has slightly tenser /ɛ/ than some UK pronunciations. Overall, the main differences are subtle, with rhythm and vowel length providing the most noticeable variation.
The difficulty comes from the consonant cluster /kt/ at the end and the mid-front lax vowel /ɛ/. Accurate timing of the t-dialect closure, maintaining a clean stop after /p/ and /ɛ/ without voicing, and not inserting a schwa in the middle can be tricky. Additionally, preserving stress on the second syllable in rapid speech requires precise syllable reduction in linked speech. Slow practice helps you anchor /r/ onset, /ɪ/ in the first syllable, /ˈspɛkt/ in the second, and the final /t/ release.
Yes—word stress is fixed on the second syllable yet often softened in rapid speech by linking sounds, causing a slight reduction in the first syllable. You may also hear a subtle vowel shift to /æ/ or /eɪ/ in some dialects when speakers are informal; aim for a clean /ɛ/, avoiding diphthongization. Focus on the crisp /kt/ sequence and ensure the /t/ is not elided.
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- US: rhotic /r/ before vowels; keep /ɹ/ with a slight lifting of the tongue tip. The /ɛ/ in /spɛkt/ tends to be tenser; avoid a lax /æ/ substitution. - UK: often non-rhotic in careful speech; the /r/ is less pronounced, so the focus is on the /spɛkt/ cluster; maintain crisp /k/ release. - AU: generally rhotic; may have slight vowel broadening; keep the /ɛ/ clear and the final /t/ unreleased in rapid speech but clearly released in citation form. Use IPA references /rɪˈspɛkt/ across accents, adjust r-coloring accordingly.
The word respect originates from the Latin respectus, from respicere, meaning to look back at or regard. In Latin, respicere is a composite of re- (again, back) and specere (to look). The figurative sense of looking toward someone or something with esteem emerged in Late Latin and entered Old French as respect. In English, respect appeared in the 14th century with senses tied to admiration, esteem, or deference, often in religious or social contexts. By the 16th–17th centuries, secular uses expanded to denote proper consideration for others’ rights and status, as well as civil duty. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, notions of mutual regard and esteem in professional, ethical, and cultural contexts solidified, with “respect” becoming central to etiquette and social behavior. The term also travels into scientific and mathematical phrases (e.g., “with respect to”) indicating a relation or regard toward a particular element, showing semantic broadening beyond interpersonal esteem. First known printed usage in English aligns with late Medieval texts referring to reverence or honor, evolving over time to a general quality signifying consideration for others and adherence to social norms.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "respect" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "respect" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "respect"
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