STUHD-ee
/ˈstʌdi/
study is pronounced STUHD-ee (/ˈstʌdi/). Study is the deliberate, sustained effort to acquire knowledge or skills through reading, practice, and reflection. It involves focused attention, absorption of information, and the application of learned material. In academic or professional contexts, study often implies structured, goal-oriented learning rather than casual reading.
Study is the deliberate, sustained effort to acquire knowledge or skills through reading, practice, and reflection. It involves focused attention, absorption of information, and the application of learned material. In academic or professional contexts, study often implies structured, goal-oriented learning rather than casual reading.
"I need to study for tomorrow's biology exam."
"She studies the behavior of primates in her spare time."
"We spent the afternoon studying new software features."
Say STU-dee with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈstʌd.i/. Articulate a short, lax /ʌ/ in the first vowel, then a light, unstressed /ɪ/ before an /i/ in the second syllable. Keep the second syllable quick and unstressed, avoiding a heavy second-stress pattern. You’ll want the mouth to start with a small open position for /ʌ/, then glide into /d/ and a crisp /i/ at the end.
Common errors: over-pronouncing the second syllable, turning /ɪ/ into a fuller /iː/, or adding extra vowel sounds. Some learners insert a schwa in the first syllable, producing /ˈə stə d i/. Correction: keep the first syllable as /ˈstʌd/ with a short, clipped /ʌ/, and make the second syllable a quick /i/ or /i/ without an extra vowel.
In US, UK, and AU, /ˈstʌd.i/ is consistent with primary stress on 'STU'. Rhoticity affects linking consonants minimally in most contexts; you’ll still hear a short /ʌ/. Some speakers in certain regions reduce the second syllable further in casual speech, sounding like /ˈstʌdi/. Australians may show slightly more centralized vowel quality in the /ʌ/ but the /i/ remains clear.
The difficulty lies in the short, lax vowel /ʌ/ followed by a high front unrounded /i/ that can blend into the preceding consonant if not timed properly. The transition from /d/ to /i/ requires a quick glottal or alveolar stop release into a high-front vowel, which can be tricky when speaking quickly. Clarity of the /i/ at the end is key and can be undermined by over-articulation of the /d/.
A focused tip: practice the /d/ immediately before /i/ with a brief touch to the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge, then release into a crisp /i/. This helps you avoid a lingering /d/ or an elongated second syllable. Use a quick, clipped rhythm: /ˈstʌd.i/ with the first syllable held just a moment longer than the second.
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US/UK/AU differences: • Vowel quality: /ʌ/ in the first syllable often sounds more centralized in US and AU; in some UK varieties, it’s a tighter /ʌ/ with slight laxness. • Rhythm and stress: All share primary stress on the first syllable, but Australians can exhibit a slightly flatter intonation contour and a less pronounced /ɪ/ in the second syllable. • Rhotacism: Not a factor here, but linking with following words may differ; practice with would/you and daily phrases to feel natural. • IPA anchors: Maintain /ˈstʌd.i/ in all dialects; small shifts in vowel height and duration are regional, not phonemic changes.
The verb study traces to the Old French estudier or estudier, from Latin studium meaning zeal, eagerness, or application. The Latin root st- carries the sense of earnest effort or pursuit, which evolved in medieval Latin to signify a student’s scholarly engagement. In Middle English, study entered as a more formal term for diligent study or inquiry, aligning with burgeoning universities and ordered curricula. The word gradually separated from broader senses of leisure learning to formal academic activity, and by Early Modern English it had become a staple term in education, often paired with study as a noun or verb describing systematic intellectual work. Across Germanic and Romance languages, cognates reflect the same core idea of devoted practice and pursuit of knowledge. Over time, study broadened to include research, examination, and the act of survey or consideration, maintaining its association with disciplined mental effort. First known uses in English date to the 14th-15th centuries, with scholars using study to denote the act of applying oneself to learning, and later to institutional settings (study rooms, studies in houses, study time). In contemporary use, study spans formal coursework, independent research, and casual, sustained engagement with material, often with measurable outcomes like exams, assignments, or skill acquisition.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "study" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "study"
-uty sounds
-oty sounds
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