3 syllables: volt, me, ter. Stress on volt.
VAWL-mee-tuhr
/ˈvɔːlmiːtər/
voltmeter is pronounced VAWL-mee-tuhr (/ˈvɔːlmiːtər/). It has three syllables (volt-me-ter), with the stress on "volt". Voltmeter is a device for measuring electric potential difference, i.e., voltage, typically across a component or circuit. The term combines volt- (from voltage) with -meter (measuring instrument). It is used in electrical work to monitor and diagnose circuits, often with high impedance input to avoid loading the circuit being measured.
Voltmeter is a device for measuring electric potential difference, i.e., voltage, typically across a component or circuit. The term combines volt- (from voltage) with -meter (measuring instrument). It is used in electrical work to monitor and diagnose circuits, often with high impedance input to avoid loading the circuit being measured.
- You might anglicize the first syllable as /ˈvoʊlt/ quickly blending into /miː/ making it sound like /ˈvoʊltmi/. To fix, anchor the /t/ with a crisp release before moving to /miː/. - Mispronounce the middle vowel by shortening /miː/ to /mi/; ensure length and tension by holding the /iː/ briefly before the /t/. - Final syllable may reduce to /ˌɚ/ or /ə/ in casual speech; keep the /t/ audible if the context requires clear measurement, especially in technical readings.
"The technician connected the voltmeter across the resistor to check the supply voltage."
"A digital voltmeter can display the reading to two decimal places."
"Before servicing the board, he checked the voltage with a handheld voltmeter."
Break it into VOLT- and -METER: /ˈvoʊltˌmiːtər/ in US and /ˈvəʊltˌmiːtə/ in UK. Primary stress on VOLT, secondary on METER. The first syllable uses the long O vowel /oʊ/; the second syllable is /miː/ with a long E, followed by /tər/ or /tə/ with a flap-like 't' in rapid speech.
Common errors: misplacing stress (say volTMETER or volter-ME-ter), mispronouncing the second syllable as /ˈmɛtər/ with a short e, or omitting the /t/ leading to /ˈvoʊltmiər/. Correction: keep primary stress on VOLT, ensure the middle syllable is /miː/ and clearly pronounce /t/ before the final /ər/; practice by slow isolation of each syllable then blend.
US: /ˈvoʊltˌmiːtər/ with clear /t/ release before /ər/. UK: /ˈvəʊltˌmiːtə/ with a shorter final schwa and less rhoticity in connected speech. AU: /ˈvɔːltˌmiːtə/ with broader vowel in the first syllable and non-rhotic tendencies. All share two-syllable rhythm but vowel qualities differ: US diphthong in /oʊ/ vs. UK/AU /əʊ/ or /ɔː/ variations; final unstressed syllable often reduced to /tə/ or /ər/ depending on accent.
Key challenges are the two-syllable rhythm with distinct content in each syllable: first syllable has a strong vowel with /oʊ/ or /əʊ/; the middle /miː/ is long and tense; and the final /tər/ or /tə/ blends quickly with a trailing schwa. Learners must coordinate tongue height for /oʊ/ or /əʊ/, keep /t/ crisp, and avoid turning the ending into /ər/ without the preceding /t/. IPA cues help anchor the sounds.
In rapid speech, the middle /miː/ may compress toward a shorter /mi/ and the /t/ can be flapped or lightly released, especially in casual American speech, producing a quick /ˈvoʊlˌmiɾə/ or /ˈvəʊlˌmiːtə/. To stay clear, maintain a full /t/ release before the final syllable and avoid t-voicing issues by keeping the tongue-tip contact firm briefly.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /r/ coloring in final syllable; keep /ɪ/ tense in /miː/; allow a light release of /t/ before /ər/. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; the ending often reduced to /tə/; maintain clear /t/ but avoid overemphasizing the final schwa. - AU: broader vowels, especially in /ɔː/ for volt; final /ə/ or /ə/ reduction common; keep the /t/ distinct to avoid blending with /ə/. IPA: US /ˈvoʊltˌmiːtər/; UK /ˈvəʊltˌmiːtə/; AU /ˈvɔːltˌmiːtə/.
The word voltmeter originates from the unit name volt, named after Alessandro Volta, the Italian physicist who invented the voltaic pile (early battery). The suffix -meter comes from the Greek -metron, meaning measuring device. In the 19th century, as electrical instrumentation expanded, specialized devices were built to measure electrical potential difference, with voltmeter becoming the standard term for devices that measure voltage, as distinguished from ammeters (current) and ohmmeters (resistance). Early voltmeters used analog galvanometers and were calibrated against standard voltage references. As electronics evolved, voltmeters transitioned to digital models, but the core concept—measuring potential difference—remained. First known usage in English documents traces to late 19th or early 20th century electrotechnical literature as circuits and test equipment became widespread in laboratories and industry. The term has since become ubiquitous in electrical engineering, consumer electronics repair, and electrical safety practices, maintaining its role as a precise instrument for voltage measurement.
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Words that rhyme with "voltmeter"
-ter sounds
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