tranz-MIT
/tɹænˈzmɪt/
transmit is pronounced tranz-MIT (/tɹænˈzmɪt/). Transmet? Not quite. Transmit is a verb meaning to send or convey something, especially data or signals, from one place to another. It typically emphasizes the act of sending rather than receiving, and its pronunciation and stress pattern reflect its derivation from Latin transmittere through French. In everyday use, it covers communications, energy, or information transfer across channels or mediums.
Transmet? Not quite. Transmit is a verb meaning to send or convey something, especially data or signals, from one place to another. It typically emphasizes the act of sending rather than receiving, and its pronunciation and stress pattern reflect its derivation from Latin transmittere through French. In everyday use, it covers communications, energy, or information transfer across channels or mediums.
"The router will transmit data to all connected devices."
"She uses a satellite link to transmit video feeds."
"Mobile networks transmit voice and text messages simultaneously."
In US/UK/AU, transmit is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable: tran-SMIT. IPA: US trænsˈmɪt, UK trænˈsmɪt, AU trænsˈmɪt. Start with /tr/ (lip rounding and a quick alveolar stop), then /æ/ (low-front lax), final /ns/ followed by /ˈmɪt/ where the mouth closes into /m/ then a short /ɪ/ and a clear /t/. The t is typically unreleased in fast speech but released in careful speech. Visualize: “trans-MIT,” with a crisp second syllable and a light touch of secondary aspiration on the /t/ depending on the pace and accent.
Common errors include misplacing stress as tran-SMIT with an exaggerated second syllable, or blending /t/ and /s/ into /z/ when saying quickly (trans-mizit). Some learners aspirate the final /t/ too strongly or omit the final /t/ in casual speech, turning it into /ˈmɪ/ or /ˈmɪt/ without the release. Focus on preserving the /mɪt/ at the end and keeping the middle /sm/ cluster clear: /træns/ + /ˈmɪt/. Rehearse minimal pairs to contrast with similar words (transfer, transmit).
US and UK share the same two-syllable pattern with stress on the second syllable, but vowel quality in the first syllable /æ/ can differ slightly: US tends to be lax /æ/, UK often a slightly tenser /æ/ depending on regional speech. The rhotics influence is minimal here, so both are non-rhotic in many British varieties, but the /t/ and final /t/ release remains clear. Australian English generally mirrors US and UK with similar stress but may have a slightly higher vowel in /æ/ and a less pronounced /t/ release in rapid speech. IPA references: US /trænsˈmɪt/, UK /trænˈsmɪt/, AU /trænsˈmɪt/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /træns/ at the start, where the /t/ and /s/ forces can blur, and in maintaining a crisp second syllable /ˈmɪt/ under rapid speech. Many speakers compress the syllables and reduce the final /t/, which softens the release and can make the word sound like /trænsˈmɪ/ or /trænˈsmɪd/. Emphasize the /s/ before /m/ and practice a firm /t/ release to preserve the second syllable’s integrity, using careful articulation and steady airflow.
A unique aspect is the /sm/ cluster bridging the end of the first syllable and the onset of the second. You need precise tongue positioning to keep /s/ crisp before /m/ without causing a slip into a nasalized /z/ or a voiceless /s/. Another notable aspect is the final /t/ tendency to be unreleased in casual speech yet released in careful speech; decide based on formality and speed, but in careful or formal contexts, aim for a clear /t/ release: /ˈmɪt/ with a quick but audible closure.
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Transmit derives from Latin trans-, meaning “across, beyond,” and mittere, meaning “to send.” The Latin verb transmittere meant “to send across.” It passed into Old French as transmettre, and later into English as transmit. The form experienced typical semantic narrowing: from a broad sense of sending across a boundary (in legal, military, or transmission contexts) to the modern sense of sending data, signals, or information via technology. The early English use appeared in the 15th century with senses related to sending across, along with more general senses of imparting or conveying. Over time, the digital era cemented its specialized meaning in telecommunications and computing. The pronunciation preserved the middle-syllable stress on trans- and the -mit suffix, a pattern common to many Latin-derived verbs, reinforcing its formal, somewhat technical register while remaining common in everyday technology contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "transmit" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "transmit" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "transmit"
-mit sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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