STIK-ur
/ˈstɪkɚ/
sticker is pronounced STIK-ur (/ˈstɪkɚ/). Sticker is a short, two-syllable noun or verb meaning a label or message affixed to a surface, or to fasten something with stickers. In everyday use, it often functions as a product label, decorative item, or verb meaning to attach with adhesive. The word emphasizes the act or object of sticking, and is common in informal, conversational English.
Sticker is a short, two-syllable noun or verb meaning a label or message affixed to a surface, or to fasten something with stickers. In everyday use, it often functions as a product label, decorative item, or verb meaning to attach with adhesive. The word emphasizes the act or object of sticking, and is common in informal, conversational English.
"The package came with a bright sticker on the front."
"She stuck a sticker on her notebook to personalize it."
"They handed out sticker sheets at the event."
Pronounce as ST I KER, with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈstɪ.kər/ in US. The second syllable reduces to a schwa plus r in rhotic accents, so you get /ˈstɪ.kɚ/. In non-rhotic UK English, it’s /ˈstɪ.kə/. At a natural pace, keep the first vowel crisp and the second syllable unstressed. Practice by saying "stick" quickly, then add a soft, quick er sound: /ˈstɪ.kər/. Audio cues: focus on the /ɪ/ in the first syllable and an approximate rhotic vowel or schwa in the second depending on region.
Two common errors: 1) Reducing the first syllable too much, turning /ˈstɪ/ into /ˈstɪ/ with a weak vowel; keep a clear /ɪ/ as in kit. 2) Over-pronouncing the second syllable, producing /ˈstɪ.kər/ with a full /ɜː/ or /ɝ/ instead of a reduced /ər/; aim for a quick, light /ər/ or /ə/ depending on your dialect. To correct: exaggerate the first syllable briefly, then relax the second syllable to a short, unstressed /ə/ or /ɚ/.
US pronunciation favors /ˈstɪ.kɚ/ with rhotic /ɚ/. UK typically uses non-rhotic /ˈstɪ.kə/ with a shorter, clipped second syllable and no pronounced /r/; AU often follows US patterns but may reduce the second syllable toward /ə/ with less flapped r, depending on individual speaker. The main difference is rhoticity and vowel length: US tends to a fuller rhotic ending, UK/AU lean toward a shorter, non-rhotic ending. Accent can also subtly change the vowel quality in the first syllable toward /ɪ/ rather than /iː/ in some speakers.
The challenge lies in the cluster transition between /st/ and a reduced vowel in the second syllable, plus the rhotic or non-rhotic ending. Keeping the /ɪ/ clearly audible in the first syllable while achieving a quick, reduced /ər/ or /ə/ in the second is a fine articulatory balance. Also, Americans often pronounce a rhotic /ɚ/ even in connected speech; learners sometimes drop the rhotic or overemphasize it. Practice with tempo control and minimal pair drills to stabilize both syllables.
A unique aspect is the contrast between a clearly stressed first syllable and a reduced second syllable, which is common in two-syllable English words but can be tricky in continuous speech. The presence of the /st/ onset followed by a short /ɪ/ and a reduced /ər/ (or /ə/) requires precise timing and voicing coordination, especially when linking to or from consonant clusters in fluent speech. Mastery involves controlling vowel length and the degree of rhotacization depending on dialect.
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Sticker derives from stick + -er, forming a noun that indicates something that sticks or the act of sticking. The root stick traces to Old English stiċċan, a cognate of many Germanic languages’ words for to cling or adhere. The suffix -er is productive in English for agents or doers. The modern sense as an adhesive label emerged in the 19th to early 20th century with the rise of adhesive labels and novelty stickers. Early mass-produced stickers appeared with printed designs in the late 1800s in commercial packaging, and by mid-20th century became ubiquitous in consumer culture for decoration, branding, and instructions. The word has retained a straightforward, literal sense (a thing that sticks) while expanding to figurative uses in internet culture (stickers in messaging apps). First known uses appear in English texts referencing “stickers” as objects that physically adhere to surfaces, evolving into the common, everyday term we use today for labels and decals.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "sticker" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "sticker" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "sticker"
-ker sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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