Skyscraper is a tall urban building, typically with many floors and a distinctive, narrow profile. In everyday use, it refers to a city’s highest man-made structure, often symbolizing modern architecture and economic power. The term is a compound noun, formed from 'sky' + 'scraper' and is commonly used in news, real estate, and design discussions.
"The skyline was dominated by a row of gleaming skyscrapers."
"Researchers study skyscraper design to withstand high winds and earthquakes."
"From the rooftop, you could see a forest of skyscrapers stretching to the horizon."
"A new skyscraper project has just topped out in the city center."
Skyscraper originated in the late 19th century during the rapid expansion of urban skylines in America. The word is a compound of sky, meaning the upper atmosphere, and scraper, a metaphor for something that reaches or ‘scrapes’ the sky. The earliest uses are linked to fashioning a dramatic description of tall new buildings in rapidly growing cities like Chicago and New York. The sense was initially figurative, evolving to denote tall, imposing structures as steel and elevator technology advanced. By the 1880s–1890s, newspapers and architects popularized the term to describe the era’s most audacious vertical constructions, with skyscrapers becoming iconic symbols of progress, modernization, and economic ambition. The pronunciation solidified around two stressed syllables with a strong final -er, and the compound form influenced the rhythm of urban speech, contributing to its status as a staple noun in architectural discourse and media language. Over time, skyscraper has retained its core meaning while expanding to include mixed-use towers, premium office addresses, and landmark cultural buildings in cityscapes worldwide.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Skyscraper" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Skyscraper" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Skyscraper" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Skyscraper"
-per sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Skyscraper is pronounced with three syllables: /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ.pər/. Stress falls on the first and second syllables in many speakers for emphasis, giving a two-beat rhythm: SKY-scrape-er. The first syllable features a strong /aɪ/ diphthong as in 'sky,' the second has /skreɪ/ with /ɹ/ followed by /eɪ/, and the final is an unstressed /pər/ in US speech or /pə/ in UK/AU casual speech. Watch the vowel shift between /ɪ/ and /iː/ in fast speech; practice saying SKY-scray-per smoothly with a light, quick final syllable.
Two common errors are turning the second syllable into /skrɛp/ (skreɪpər vs. skreɪ-pər versus scrape) and misplacing the primary stress, leading to SKY-scraper vs SKY-scraper. Another frequent issue is pronouncing the final /ər/ too strongly, producing /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ.pɜːr/ in US English. Correction tips: keep /kreɪ/ as a distinct syllable with a clear /r/ before the final unstressed /ər/; ensure the /ɪ/ in the first syllable moves to a smooth /aɪ/ diphthong, not a pure /iː/. Practice slow, then speed up while maintaining clean /r/ and non-rhotic trailing sounds.
US English typically rhymes the -er ending as /ər/ with rhotic /r/ retention, giving /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ.pər/. UK and AU often reduce the final /ər/ to /ə/ or /pə/, sounding like /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ.pə/ with non-rhoticity affecting the final syllable. The /ɹ/ in the middle may be slightly less prominent in some UK and AU speakers, and the /ɪ/ in the first syllable may be a clearer /aɪ/ in American speech. Overall rhythm remains trochaic with some secondary stress on the middle syllable in connected speech.
The difficulty lies in the cluster /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ/ where two adjacent syllables contain diphthongs and a harsh /sk/ onset sequence. The transition from /aɪ/ to /skreɪ/ requires precise tongue positioning to avoid a lisp or a splutter, and the final /ər/ or /ə/ must be light and unstressed to maintain natural rhythm. Practicing the separation of the two syllables with a light pause can help; ensure /sk/ two-phoneme onset blends smoothly into /kreɪ/.
A unique question is: Do you accent the second syllable’s /skreɪ/ as a single sound or separate /sk/ and /reɪ/? In careful speech, many pronounce it as /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ/ with a clear boundary between /sk/ and /reɪ/, but in rapid speech it can briefly blend to /ˈskaɪskreɪpər/. Focusing on keeping the /sk/ onset crisp and not letting the /r/ bleed into the preceding vowel helps accuracy and intelligibility.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Skyscraper"!
No related words found
See how this word is used in our articles
