SPRAH-kuht
/ˈspɹɑkət/
sprocket is pronounced SPRAH-kuht (/ˈspɹɑkət/). Sprocket is a small, toothed wheel that engages with a chain or gear to transmit rotary motion. It typically has evenly spaced teeth around its circumference and is used in clocks, bicycles, and machinery. The term emphasizes mechanical function and compact design, often pairing with belts, gears, or chains in timing and drive systems.
Sprocket is a small, toothed wheel that engages with a chain or gear to transmit rotary motion. It typically has evenly spaced teeth around its circumference and is used in clocks, bicycles, and machinery. The term emphasizes mechanical function and compact design, often pairing with belts, gears, or chains in timing and drive systems.
"The bicycle’s sprocket wore down after years of use, reducing pedaling efficiency."
"You’ll need to replace the worn sprocket to restore the gear ratio."
"The timing chain drives the camshaft via a sprocket system in the engine."
Sprocket is pronounced /ˈsprɒkɪt/ in UK and US English, with the stress on the first syllable. Your mouth starts with a cluster /spr/: lips rounded slightly, tongue at the alveolar ridge for /s/ and /r/, then a plosive /k/ release into /ɪ/ and a final /t/. In American speech you may hear a slightly broader /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ quality. IPA: US /ˈsprɑkɪt/ or /ˈsprɒkɪt/, UK /ˈsprɒkɪt/.
Common mistakes: treating it like ‘spocket’ by dropping the /r/; pronouncing /spr/ as a simpler /sp/ or splitting the cluster awkwardly. Another is misplacing the /ɒ/ vowel, making it sound like ‘sprok-it’ with a flat /ɒ/ rather than the correct /ɒ/ vs /ɑ/. Tip: keep the /r/ soft or rhotic depending on dialect, ensure quick but clear /spr/ onset, and finish with a crisp /kɪt/ rather than a drawn-out /ɪt/.
In General American, /ˈsprɑkɪt/ with rhotic /ɚ/ not typically present; vowel in /ɑ/ resembles ‘spa’. In UK English, /ˈsprɒkɪt/ with a shorter /ɒ/ and non-rhotic R; in Australian English, /ˈsprɒkɪt/ or /ˈsprɔkɪt/ with a flatter /ɒ/ and less rhoticity. Differences mainly lie in the /ɒ/ vs /ɑ/ vowel quality and the presence or absence of rhoticity affecting the /ɹ/ sound before the vowel in connected speech. IPA references: US /ˈsprɑkɪt/, UK /ˈsprɒkɪt/, AU /ˈsprɒkɪt/.
The core difficulty is the consonant cluster /spr/ at the start and the short, tense /ɒ/ in many dialects. The combination of /s/ + /pr/ requires precise tongue positioning to avoid a lisp or blending into /sp/. The final /kɪt/ must be crisp with a strong /t/ release, not a softened /d/ or vowel prolongation. Pay attention to the transition from /r/ to /k/ to avoid a mushy onset.
No separate vowel is added by an ‘e’ in sprocket; the letters influence spelling but the pronunciation is focused on the phonemes /spr/ + /ɒ/ (or /ɑ/) + /k/ + /ɪ/ + /t/. The final ‘et’ corresponds to /ɪt/ or /ət/ in rapid speech. The suffix is not pronounced as a separate syllable; the word remains five phonemes across two syllables with primary stress on the first syllable.
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US: rhoticity affects linking; a subtle /ɹ/ after vowels can color the vowel quality. UK: non-rhotic; keep /r/ silent except in linking in some accents; Australian: flatter vowels, less pronounced /ɹ/; monitor vowel height for /ɒ/ and /ɒk/ sequences. IPA references: US /ˈsprɑkɪt/ or /ˈsprɔkɪt/; UK/AU /ˈsprɒkɪt/. Tips: exaggerate the /spr/ onset in practice, then reduce to natural speed. For /i/ in the second syllable, keep it short and clipped.
Sprocket derives from the word sprocket or sprocket wheel, related to the idea of a small wheel with teeth. The origin traces to mechanical jargon in English around the 18th to 19th centuries, with early usage describing a circular toothed wheel that engages with a chain. The precise etymology is murky, but it likely stems from nursery or dialect terms that also imply a small wheel or spur. Its early function was literal: a miniature gear that fits within larger gear trains. Over time, the term has become specialized in engineering, particularly in bicycles and machinery, where a sprocket’s number of teeth and placement influence gear ratios and torque transmission. The word has maintained the sense of a precise, functional wheel rather than a decorative object, remaining central in mechanical vocabulary across English-speaking regions. First known uses appear in technical manuals and mechanical catalogs of the 1800s, gradually standardizing to refer to any toothed wheel that meshes with chain or belt drives. In modern usage, sprocket is ubiquitous in automotive, robotics, and industrial contexts, preserving its original sense of a compact, toothed wheel integral to motion transfer.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "sprocket" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "sprocket"
-ket sounds
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