uhn-KAH-muhn-lee
/ˌʌˈnkɑmənli/
uncommonly is pronounced uhn-KAH-muhn-lee (/ˌʌˈnkɑmənli/). Uncommonly means to a greater extent than usual or expected; occurring less frequently than common, ordinary cases. It describes something notable or unusual in occurrence, degree, or quality, often carrying a sense of rarity. The term functions as an adverb or adjective, emphasizing deviation from the typical or everyday pattern without implying rarity in moral judgment.
Uncommonly means to a greater extent than usual or expected; occurring less frequently than common, ordinary cases. It describes something notable or unusual in occurrence, degree, or quality, often carrying a sense of rarity. The term functions as an adverb or adjective, emphasizing deviation from the typical or everyday pattern without implying rarity in moral judgment.
"The museum has uncommonly detailed dioramas for a regional exhibition."
"She spoke uncommonly quickly, revealing her excitement."
"This recipe turns up uncommonly well with a splash of lemon."
Phonetically: /ˌənˈkɒmənli/. Break it into three parts: un- (unstressed), COM-mon-ly with primary stress on the second syllable, and -ly as a light, unstressed ending. Mouth position: start with a light schwa in the first syllable, then a rounded short /ɒ/ as in 'lot', followed by /mən/ with a light nasal, and finish with /li/.
Common errors: 1) Stress misplacement: stressing the first or last syllable rather than the second. 2) Vowel clarity: turning /ɒ/ into /ɔː/ or reducing /ə/ too aggressively in the middle. 3) Final -ly pronounced as a separate syllable with full vowel instead of a light /li/ after consonant cluster. Corrections: practice the three-syllable rhythm with a strong second-syllable blow; keep the /ɒ/ compact; end with a quick, soft /li/ (not /lɪ/ or /liː/).
US: /ˌənˈkɒmənli/ with rhotic consonants minimal; UK: /ˌʌnˈkɒmənli/ where first vowel can be more centralized and non-rhotic tendencies appear in some dialects; AU: /ˌənˈkɒmənli/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel quality, often with slightly more upward intonation on the final syllable. In all, primary stress remains on the second syllable, but vowel qualities shift subtly: US tends toward a tighter /ɒ/; UK often transcribes /ɒ/ and a reduced second syllable; AU may have broader vowel jaw movement, with a slightly shorter /ə/ in the first syllable.
The difficulty lies in achieving accurate secondary stress and maintaining the three-syllable rhythm while keeping the middle /ɒ/ concise and the final /li/ light. English learners often shorten or flatten the middle vowel or blend the final /li/ into a single syllable. Focus on keeping the second syllable prominent without turning the word into ‘un-COM-ly’ or ‘un-kam-ən-lee’—practice the three distinct phonemes: /ən/ /ˈkɒm/ /ənli/ with a clean, brief /ən/ at the end.
The most distinctive feature is the tri-syllabic rhythm with a strong secondary peak on the second syllable and a light, clipped final -ly. You’ll want to avoid inserting extra vowels or lengthening the ending. Tactile cues: after /kɒm/, keep the /ən/ almost as a quick, neutral schwa plus nasal, then land the final /li/ with minimal mouth opening. IPA anchors: /ˌənˈkɒmənli/.
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Uncommonly is formed from the prefix un- (a negating or intensifying particle) attached to the adjective common, with the adverbial suffix -ly forming uncommonly. The root word common derives from Old French or Latin via Latin communis 'shared by all, general' and ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root *ko-men- meaning 'together, common.' In Middle English, un- as a negator took hold, creating forms like uncommon meaning not common or unusual. The adverbial -ly was later added to describe manner or degree, yielding uncommonly to indicate an unusually high or low degree of commonness. The first known uses appear in Early Modern English writings where 'uncommon' already described rarity, with 'uncommonly' evolving to emphasize adverbial degree in descriptive prose and conversation. Over time, uncommonly has become a precise descriptor in formal narration and scholarly writing to denote rarity or rarity of quality, while still maintaining broad everyday intelligibility in speech. Modern usage favors uncommonly both for emphasis and stylistic variation in increasingly colloquial contexts, albeit with careful placement to avoid shifting emphasis away from the intended adjective.
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Words that rhyme with "uncommonly"
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