WAY-tee
/ˈweɪti/
weighty is pronounced WAY-tee (/ˈweɪti/). Weighty describes something of great weight or importance; it conveys seriousness or significance. The term often implies substantial impact, consequence, or gravity, whether in physical heft or figurative importance. It can also suggest deliberation or solemnity in tone. The word blends a straightforward sense of heaviness with a nuance of consequence that must be considered carefully.
Weighty describes something of great weight or importance; it conveys seriousness or significance. The term often implies substantial impact, consequence, or gravity, whether in physical heft or figurative importance. It can also suggest deliberation or solemnity in tone. The word blends a straightforward sense of heaviness with a nuance of consequence that must be considered carefully.
"The decision carried weighty implications for the company’s future."
"Her weighty argument persuaded the jury to reconsider the case."
"The issue is weighty enough to deserve careful, long discussion."
Weighty is pronounced with two syllables: WEY-tee. The primary stress is on the first syllable: /ˈweɪti/. Start with the face toward a 'wey' sounding vowel like in weight, then end with a clear 'tee' /ti/ syllable. The 'gh' in weight is silent here, so the sound is the diphthong /eɪ/ followed by /ti/. If you want an audio reference, imagine the common pronunciation of weight (weɪt) plus a short /i/ for the second syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU all share /ˈweɪti/.”,
Common mistakes include: (1) pronouncing it as two identical syllables like WEI-tee with a lengthened second vowel; correct is WEY-tee with the primary stress on WEY. (2) Failing to pronounce the /t/ clearly, letting it blend into the following /i/; ensure a crisp /t/ onset in the second syllable. (3) Misplacing stress or reducing the second syllable into a schwa; keep the second syllable as /ti/ with a clear /i/ sound. If you’re uncertain, practice by saying weight (weɪt) then add a brief /i/ for the second syllable, producing /ˈweɪti/.”,
In US, UK, and AU accents, weighty shares /ˈweɪti/. The vowel in the first syllable is the diphthong /eɪ/ as in weight. The second syllable uses a clear /i/; rhotic accents may reveal slight vowel length differences in connected speech, but the syllable boundary remains. Rhoticity doesn’t alter the vowel in weighty significantly, but in faster speech you may hear a lighter, clipped second syllable in some varieties. Overall, the primary stress remains on the first syllable across all three. IPA: /ˈweɪti/ for US/UK/AU.
It’s mainly the blend of a strong diphthong with a clean, unmerged stop consonant in the second syllable. The /eɪ/ diphthong in the first syllable requires precise articulation to avoid a monophthong; the /t/ must be released before the final /i/ rather than turning into a quick /j/ sound. Practically, you must maintain two distinct syllables with a clear boundary and consistent stress on the first. Focusing on the abrupt /t/ and the crisp /i/ helps with accuracy.
A unique aspect is the way the /t/ cleanly terminates the first syllable before the /i/ onset. Unlike many English words where the /t/ can be flapped or softened in rapid speech, weighty maintains a crisp /t/ to preserve the boundary between /weɪ/ and /ti/. In careful delivery, you’ll emphasize the syllabic break, ensuring the second syllable starts with a firm /t/ release followed by a clear /i/.
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Weighty traces its roots to Old English wæhtig, related to weight and heaviness. The core morpheme weight denotes physical heaviness, which historically extended to figurative heaviness in significance, consequence, or gravity. The adjective form weighty emerged in Middle English to describe objects with substantial mass and, metaphorically, matters of serious importance. The semantic shift from tangible heft to abstract significance progressed through usage in legal, philosophical, and rhetorical contexts, where weighty matters demanded serious consideration. Over centuries, weighty also carried connotations of formality and gravity in speech and writing. First known uses appear in legal and scholarly texts where the weight of evidence or argument implied substantial impact and requiring careful judgment. The word coexists with synonyms like heavy in the literal sense and significant or substantial in the figurative sense, with nuanced distinctions in tone and formality. In modern English, weighty retains both senses, often in combination, as in weighty concerns or weighty consequences.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "weighty" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "weighty"
-sty sounds
-ic) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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