RAH-kee
/ˈɹɑki/
rocky is pronounced RAH-kee (/ˈɹɑki/). Rocky is an adjective describing terrain or situations that are uneven, rugged, or unstable, and can also convey a tense or difficult mood. It can apply to landscapes, relationships, or events that are challenging or uncertain, often implying potential hazards or volatility. In pronunciation practice, it also highlights a simple, two-syllable structure with a distinct stressed first syllable.
Rocky is an adjective describing terrain or situations that are uneven, rugged, or unstable, and can also convey a tense or difficult mood. It can apply to landscapes, relationships, or events that are challenging or uncertain, often implying potential hazards or volatility. In pronunciation practice, it also highlights a simple, two-syllable structure with a distinct stressed first syllable.
- You may overlengthen the second syllable or convert /ɒ/ to a more fronted vowel; keep it back and rounded. - People often insert an extra vowel sound between /k/ and /i/, making it /ˈrɒk.ɪ.i/; aim for /ˈrɒ.ki/. - Some speakers flatten the second syllable into /iː/ in fast speech; maintain a short, lax /i/ or schwa-like reduction. - Misplacing the stress (e.g., ROCKy vs rockY) reduces clarity; keep primary stress on the first syllable. - Lip rounding should be consistent for /ɒ/ but relaxed for /i/; avoid over-rounding on the second vowel.
"The trail grew rocky as we climbed higher, with loose stones underfoot."
"Their relationship became rocky after the argument, full of miscommunications."
"The negotiations faced rocky ground, but both sides remained determined to find common ground."
Rocky is pronounced /ˈrɒ.ki/ in US/UK/AU accents. The stress is on the first syllable: ROCK-y. Start with an open back rounded /ɒ/ as in 'cot', then glide to a high front /i/ as in 'see'. Keep the second syllable short and unstressed, with a clean /k/ before the /i/. You’ll feel the jaw drop slightly for /ɒ/ and then close a little for /i/. Audio can be found on Pronounce or Forvo for confirmation.
Common errors: misplacing the /ɒ/ as a more fronted vowel (like /ɑ/ or /ɑː/) or making the second syllable sound like /iː/ in rapid speech. Correction: ensure /ɒ/ is a back rounded vowel with subtle lip rounding, then move to a short /ɪ/ or /i/ sound before the /k/. Keep the /k/ hard and the second syllable reduced, not stretched. Practice with minimal pairs like 'rock' vs 'rocky' to keep the -y relaxed.
In US and UK, the first vowel is /ɒ/ with rhotic or non-rhotic variations affecting the r-color. In rhotic US, you may hear a slight /ɹ/ coloring before the vowel, while in non-rhotic UK you won’t hear a post-vocalic /r/. Australian speakers often reduce the /ɒ/ slightly and may have a clipped /i/ in the second syllable. Overall, the stress and timing remain ROCK-y, but vowel quality and rhoticity create subtle differences.
The challenge lies in the quick transition from /ɒ/ to /ki/, requiring precise tongue positioning: back rounded /ɒ/ with lip rounding, then a forward high /i/ with a clear /k/ onset. The second syllable is unstressed and short, so you must reduce it without slurring the consonant. In rapid speech, merging the end of /ɒ/ with /k/ can blur the /ki/, so keep [/ˈɒ/ + /ki/] crisp.
Rocky’s signature is the two-component structure ROCK + Y, with strong first-syllable stress and a short, clipped second syllable. The key is maintaining a consistent /ɒ/ before the /k/ and not pushing the second syllable into an extra vowel. If you practice with a speed drill, you’ll keep the first syllable stable while the final /i/ remains light and unobtrusive.
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- US: Clear, plain /ɒ/ with a strong release into /k/, then a quick /i/. Non-rhotic US is uncommon; you’ll still hear a light /r/ by some speakers. - UK: Slightly more centralized /ɒ/ and faster ± reduced second syllable; keep non-rhotic quality, with crisp /k/ and short /i/. - AU: More vowel quality merging; the /ɒ/ may be a shorter, centralized sound, with a relaxed, almost clipped second syllable. - IPA references: US /ˈɹɒ.ki/, UK /ˈɒk.i/? (adjusted per dialect) + maintain non-rhoticity in UK. - Focus on lip posture: /ɒ/ requires rounded lips and a slight jaw drop; /i/ requires a high, tense tongue toward the palate without pressing.
Rocky comes from the Middle English word rocken, related to roke (to shake) and later rock. Its modern sense of “stony, full of rocks” emerges from the literal terrain description in the 14th–15th centuries, while the figurative sense of “difficult or unstable” developed in the 18th–19th centuries as landscapes and conditions were used metaphorically to describe challenges. The root is Proto-Germanic *rokkaz, with cognates across Germanic languages referring to hardness or ruggedness. The word’s evolution reflects a shift from physical texture to metaphorical hazard; by the late 18th century, rocky was used to characterize things that were fraught or risky, and in the 20th century it broadened to describe political, social, and emotional instability. First known usage in English appears in regional dialects, but by the 1800s it was common in literature to describe terrain as rocky in both literal and metaphorical senses.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "rocky" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "rocky" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "rocky"
-cky sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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