/ˈsɛvənti/
Say it backSeventy denotes the number 70. It is a two-syllable word pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable, typically blending the vowel sounds of “set” and “tee” in rapid speech. In many contexts it sits at the junction between numbers (e.g., seventy-one) and date/age expressions, requiring clear enunciation to distinguish from other nearby numbers.
"She turned seventy last month and still swims every morning."
"The company’s seventy employees gathered for the annual meeting."
"The event sold seventy-five tickets, not quite seventy."
Pronounce as two main syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈsev.ən.ti/. Start with /s/ + /e/ as in “set,” then the reduced /ən/ in the middle, and end strongly on /ti/ as in “tea.” In careful speech, say SEV-en-tee distinctly; in fast speech, the middle syllable may shorten, but keep the /t/ clear before the final /i/. Audio reference: listen for the strong onset /s/ and the clear /t/ before /i/.
Common errors: (1) Dropping the middle syllable and saying /ˈse.vən.i/ with weak /ən/; (2) Losing the explicit /t/ before the final /i/, giving /ˈsev.ən.i/ or /ˈsev.ənji/; (3) Merging the final /ti/ into a simple /i/ like /ˈsev.ən.i/. Correction tips: clearly articulate /t/ before /i/, maintain a short but audible /ən/ mid-syllable, and avoid overly lengthening the final vowel. Practice with slow articulation and speed up gradually while preserving the consonant boundary before -ty.
US: /ˈsɛvənˌti/ or /ˈsɛvənˌti/ with rhoticity mostly preserved in connected speech; UK: /ˈsevən(t)i/ with slightly shorter /e/ and less pronounced rhoticity in some dialects; AU: /ˈsɛvənˌti/ similar to US but with more centralized vowel qualities and a brisk pace in rapid speech. The main differences are vowel height in the first syllable and the rhythm of the middle syllable. All share the /t/ before /i/ but the quality of /e/ and the degree of vowel reduction varies by region.
Difficulties stem from the sequence /ˈsevən.ti/ where the middle /ən/ can be reduced or elided in rapid speech, risking loss of clarity. The /t/ before /i/ must be released clearly, which can be tricky when speech speed increases. Additionally, the vowel in the first syllable often compresses toward /e/ or /ɛ/ depending on accent, making it easy to mispronounce as /ˈseɪvən/ or /ˈsevən/ without the final /ti/. Focus on stable stress and a crisp /t/ release.
No letters are truly silent in careful speech; however, in casual fast speech the /ən/ middle syllable may be reduced toward a schwa and the /t/ can be lightly released or even unreleased before a following consonant in connected speech. In careful, careful enunciation, keep the /t/ audible and the /ə/ in /ən/ reduced but present. IPA guidance helps keep you aware of each phoneme: /ˈsɛv.ən.ti/.
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Seventy comes from the Old English seventy, formed as a compound of seven and -ty, similar to sixty and eighty. The Germanic roots trace to seofon-ty, with seofon meaning seven and -ty denoting a multiple of ten. This pattern mirrors other numerals formed by tens in Germanic languages, reflecting an agglutinative approach to counting. The word has maintained its basic phonetic structure since the Early Medieval period, though spelling and pronunciation shifted as English vowels and consonants regularized. First attested forms appear in medieval legal and astronomical texts where precise large numbers were necessary, and by the Early Modern English era, seventy had settled into its modern pronunciation about /ˈsevən(t)i/ in most dialects, though minor vowel quality changes emerged regionally over centuries.
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Words that rhyme with "seventy"
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