VER-it-uh-buhl
/ˈvɛɹɪtəbəl/
veritable is pronounced VER-it-uh-buhl (/ˈvɛɹɪtəbəl/). Veritable is an adjective meaning true or actual, used to emphasize the authenticity or undeniability of something. It signals that a claim is genuine, not merely apparent or metaphorical, often in a somewhat formal or literary register.
Veritable is an adjective meaning true or actual, used to emphasize the authenticity or undeniability of something. It signals that a claim is genuine, not merely apparent or metaphorical, often in a somewhat formal or literary register.
- You’ll over-pronounce the middle syllable, making it VER-EEE-tuh-buhl. Try keeping it as a quick, muted /tə/ rather than a full vowel. - You may drop the first syllable stress or shift it to the second syllable; ensure the primary stress stays on VER-. - Final -ble can morph into -bul; keep the stop consonants crisp so it sounds like /bl/ rather than /bul/ without the vowel.
"The night market was a veritable carnival of color and sound."
"Her victory was a veritable triumph, celebrated by fans worldwide."
"The forest became a veritable maze after the heavy snowfall."
Pronounce as VER-uh-tuh-buhl in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈvɛrɪtəbl/; UK /ˈverɪtəbl/; AU /ˈveərətəb(ə)l/. Start with a clear 'ver' as in very, then a quick schwa in the middle, and finish with a light 'bl' or 'bul' depending on accent. Pay attention to the-t as a soft, almost t-d-like sound in rapid speech. You’ll hear a steady, formal rhythm; practice by saying it in a measured, almost ceremonial tone to maintain the emphasis.
Common errors: 1) Stress on the second syllable (ve- ri- ta-ble) – fix by keeping primary stress on the first syllable. 2) Turning the middle syllable into a full vowel like ‘ee’ or ‘aye’—keep it as a reduced schwa /ə/. 3) Slurring the final -ble into -bul instead of -bl. Corrections: rehearse VER-ə-tə-bəl with clear, short /ə/ in the middle and a light final /bəl/. Use slow repetition then speed up as you feel comfortable.
In US English you hear /ˈvɛrɪtəbl/ with clear /ɛ/ in the first syllable and a pronounced /t/; the final /bl/ is cluster-tied. UK tends toward /ˈverɪtəbl/ with a slightly shorter second vowel and a crisper /t/; non-rhotic variation does not affect this word significantly. Australian often softens the second syllable to /vəˈrɪtəbl/ or /ˈveərɪtəbl/ with a flatter intonation. Across all, the main challenge is sustaining the initial stress while moving smoothly through the schwa and the /t/ to /bəl/ at the end.
Its difficulty comes from the strong initial stress on a multisyllabic word and the sequence of a stressed syllable followed by a quick, reduced middle and a consonant cluster at the end. The /ˈv/ onset, the mid-central /ə/ vowels, and the /t/ before /bl/ can tempt speakers to misplace stress or over-articulate the middle vowel. Focus on a clean, rapid transition from VER to ə to -təbl, keeping the final consonant cluster tight.
A unique feature is its formal, almost ceremonial cadence. The first syllable carries strong prominence, and the vowel in the second syllable tends to be a reduced schwa rather than a full vowel in fluent speech. The final -ble is often pronounced as a light /bl/ without fully articulating the /ə/ before it in rapid speech. IPA cues help: US /ˈvɛrɪtəbl/, UK /ˈverɪtəbl/.
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- US: /ˈvɛrɪtəbl/. Pronounce with clear /ɛ/ in first syllable and a short /ɪ/ in second. - UK: /ˈverɪtəbl/. Slightly shorter second vowel; maintain non-rhotic tendency but the word remains pronounced with a hard /t/. - AU: /ˈveərətəb(ə)l/ or /ˈveːrɪtəbl/; more vowel lift in first syllable; might reduce the middle vowel slightly and insert a softer /ə/.
Veritable originates from the Latin veritus, past participle of vereri meaning 'to fear' or, more relevantly, from the Latin word verus meaning 'true, trueworthy'. In English, veritable entered legal and rhetorical usage in the 15th century, initially meaning 'worthy of being feared or reverenced' in sense of truth and legitimacy. By the 17th century it evolved toward meaning 'genuine' or 'true', often used with adjectives of emphasis (a veritable feast, a veritable army). The form mirrors other intensifiers like 'veritable' itself balancing truth with exaggeration for rhetorical effect. First known use catalogs point to early modern English texts that imitate classical Latin phrasing to elevate the claim, reinforcing the sense of undeniable authenticity rather than mere metaphor. Over time, its usage broadened from solemn solemnity to general emphasis in prose and journalism, retaining a formal aura but becoming common enough to appear in everyday writing when the speaker wishes to stress authenticity rather than mere appearance.
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Words that rhyme with "veritable"
-ble sounds
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