Dictionary

syllabification en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /sɪˌlæbɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• sĭlă'bĭfĭkāʹshən (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

First attested in 1764; a regular Anglicisation (see -fication) of a hypothetical etymon of the form *syllabificātiō, *syllabificātiōn-, formed regularly on the base of the Latin syllabificō, itself from syllaba (“syllable”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The division of a word into syllables.
   • syllabicate 2    syllabication 1 syllabify 2      syllabification 1 syllabize 1     syllabization 3 One first-class verb, two first-class nouns, but neither of those nouns belonging to that verb. It is absurd enough, & any of several ways out would do; that indeed is why none of them is taken. The best thing would be to accept the most recognized verb syllabize, give it the now non-existent noun syllabization, & relegate all the rest to the Superfluous words; but there is no authority both willing & able to issue such decrees. 1926, Henry Watson Fowler, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (first edition, Oxford at the Clarendon Press), page 590, column 2, “syllabize &c.” syllabize &c. A verb & a noun are clearly sometimes needed for the notion of dividing words into syllables. The possible pairs seem to be the following (the number after each word means — 1, that it is in fairly common use; 2, that it is on record; 3, that it is not given in OED): — syllabate 3 syllabation 2
   • Syllábify is a back-formation from syllabification, which in turn seems to be coined directly on the basis of Latin syllabificare. 1999, Ingo Plag, Morphological Productivity: Structural Constraints in English Derivation, § 7.1.2, page 203:
   • Our author has eſtabliſhed clear practicable rules for articulation, and conſequently for facilitating to foreigners the pronouncing and ſyllabification of the Engliſh language; and that upon principles which are in common to all languages. 1764 September, Tobias George Smollett [ed.], The Critical Review: or, Annals of Literature, volume 18, article 23: “Review of William Johnſton’s A Pronouncing and Spelling Dictionary, &c.”, page 237

Forms

Deriveds

syllabify · dissyllabification · syllabificating · syllabificate · resyllabification

Relateds

hyphenation

Synonyms

syllabication · syllabation · syllabization

Translations (29)

hu szótagolás (division of a word into syllables) · pl sylabifikacja (division of a word into syllables) · el συλλαβισμός (division of a word into syllables) · pt silabação (division of a word into syllables) · nl lettergreepverdeling (division of a word into syllables) · tl palapantigan (division of a word into syllables) · tl pagpapantig (division of a word into syllables) · tr heceleniş (division of a word into syllables) · id silabifikasi (division of a word into syllables) · tr heceleme (division of a word into syllables) · nl syllabeverdeling (division of a word into syllables) · ru слогоделе́ние (division of a word into syllables) · es silabación (division of a word into syllables) · fi tavutus (division of a word into syllables) · el συλλαβοποίηση (division of a word into syllables) · it sillabazione (division of a word into syllables) · mk силабизација (division of a word into syllables) · ms penyukuan kata (division of a word into syllables) · nl syllabificatie (division of a word into syllables) · ca sil·labificació (division of a word into syllables) · id pemenggalan kata (division of a word into syllables) · de Silbentrennung (division of a word into syllables) · fr syllabation (division of a word into syllables) · hu szótagokra bontás (division of a word into syllables) · vo silabam (division of a word into syllables) · bg сричкоделение (division of a word into syllables) · tl silabasyon (division of a word into syllables) · bg разделяне на срички (division of a word into syllables) · de Worttrennung (division of a word into syllables)