3 syllables: Re, veil, le. Stress on Re.
REV-uh-lee
/ˈɹɛvəˌli/
Reveille is pronounced REV-uh-lee (/ˈɹɛvəˌli/). It has three syllables (Re-veil-le), with the stress on "Re". Reveille is a noun meaning a wake-up call, especially in military settings, typically signaled by a bugle or trumpet. It marks the start of the day and is announced in a formal, ceremonial way. The term can also denote a wake-up routine or the act of waking up, sometimes used metaphorically to denote alertness or a reminder to begin duties.
nounReveille is a noun meaning a wake-up call, especially in military settings, typically signaled by a bugle or trumpet. It marks the start of the day and is announced in a formal, ceremonial way. The term can also denote a wake-up routine or the act of waking up, sometimes used metaphorically to denote alertness or a reminder to begin duties.
How to Pronounce Reveille
"The sergeant sounded Reveille at 0600, and the camp slowly roused from sleep."
"In the morning, the cadets gathered for Reveille, stiff with sleep but ready for inspection."
"The playing of Reveille is a long-standing tradition in many military academies."
Pronounced ri-VEHL, with stress on the second syllable. IPA: US rɪˈvɛl, UK rɪˈvɛl, AU rɪˈvɛl. Start with a short 'ri' as in 'rid', then a clear 've' with a 'v' and a light 'l' at the end. Think: 'ri-VELE' with the vowel in the stressed syllable as a lax ɛ. You’ll hear a crisp bugle tone in traditional cadet calls. Practice by saying 'reh' quickly, then 'velle' with a clean 'v' and a soft final 'l'. Audio reference: compare recordings of military Reveille calls.
Common mistakes: misplacing stress on the first syllable (RE-vaille); lengthening the second syllable or turning it into 'reh-VEEL' with a prolonged L; mispronouncing the 've' as 'vee' or mis-timing the final L. Corrections: keep the stress on the second syllable rɪˈvɛl, keep the 've' short and crisp, and seal the end with a light, quick 'l' rather than a drawn-out consonant. Use a brief release on the final L to avoid adding an extra vowel sound.
US/UK/AU share rɪˈvɛl, with subtle differences: US tends to be a clipped, blunt vowel before the final L; UK often keeps a slightly sharper tinge on the 'r' and may drop rhotics in non-rhotic speakers, leading to a more central vowel quality; AU tends to be rhotic but softer, with a clear, crisp L and stable vowel quality. Overall, the main difference is the rhoticity and vowel length; the stress pattern remains the same. Listen to cadet calls in each region to hear the slight tint in the vowel and the presence or absence of post-vocalic R.
The difficulty lies in the silent vs. pronounced consonants and the 've' blend after a stressed syllable: rɪˈvɛl requires a quick, compact mid-front vowel before a crisp 'v' followed by a light 'l'. Non-native speakers may misplace the stress or lengthen the second syllable, or mispronounce as 'reh-veel' with a long 'ee' sound. The subtle vowel in the second syllable and the clean, clipped final L require precise tongue placement and airflow. Practice with minimal pairs and slow practice to stabilize the rhythm.
Reveille carries a distinct military ceremonial voice; the second syllable is not a long 'ay' or 'eye' sound, but a short, crisp 'e' like in 'bet'. You’ll notice a strong, abrupt onset for the second syllable with the 'v' immediately following the short 'i' vowel. The mouth position is a quick transition from a relaxed jaw to a forward, rounded lip position for the 'v' and a light touch to close with the 'l'. This is why listening to authentic bugle calls helps your accuracy and why mimicking the cadence matters.
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US: flatter, clipped vowels; rhotic R, crisp 'l' at end; IPA: rɪˈvɛl. UK: often non-rhotic; slight vowel quality shift toward schwa in some dialects; IPA: rɪˈvɛl. AU: rhotic in many contexts; smoother vowel; IPA: rɪˈvɛl. Tips: practice vowel reduction in unstressed syllables; maintain a clean stop before the final L; keep the 'v' as a labiodental fricative with a light air release. Reference IPA while listening to native speakers.
Reveille comes from the French term reveil, meaning 'uncovering' or 'awakening' from the verb reveiller, to wake up. The English adoption reflects military usage in the 17th-19th centuries when bugle signals governed daily routines. The root reveiller is from old French reveler, linked to ‘to wake up’ and ‘to rise’. First recorded in English military contexts during early modern periods, its usage expanded in the 19th and 20th centuries to civilian wake-up calls and ceremonial bugle calls. Over time, revelry and re‑veil words influenced, but the core sense remains tied to waking and alertness. The spelling stabilized in English as Reveille, with capitalization common when referring to the specific signal or ceremony. In some contexts, the term also appears in broader waking or awakening phrases, retaining a formal, almost ceremonial tone that contrasts with casual alarms like an alarm clock.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Reveille" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Reveille"
-eil sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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