English spellings/Catalogs/A

The metadata subpage is missing. You can start it via filling in this form or by following the instructions that come up after clicking on the [show] link to the right.

Do you see this on PREVIEW? then SAVE! before following a link. To find out more about the use of metadata for the management of Citizendium pages, see CZ:Metadata. You may see this box for one of two reasons. Either: A - New page has been created, or subpages template was added to an existing page B - Cluster move is in progress Click either the A or B link for further instructions. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template] A - For a New Cluster use the following directions Subpages format requires a metadata page. Using the following instructions will complete the process of creating this article's subpages. Click the blue "metadata template" link below to create the page. On the edit page that appears paste in the article's title across from "pagename =". You might also fill out the checklist part of the form. Ignore the rest. For background, see Using the Subpages template Don't worry--you'll get the hang of it right away. Remember to hit Save! the "metadata template". However, you can create articles without subpages. Just delete the {{subpages}} template from the top of this page and this prompt will disappear. :) Don't feel obligated to use subpages, it's more important that you write sentences, which you can always do without writing fancy code. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template] B - For a Cluster Move use the following directions The metadata template should be moved to the new name as the first step. Please revert this move and start by using the Move Cluster link at the top left of the talk page. The name prior to this move can be found at the following link. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template]

---

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list
Common misspellings

This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with A. To see a different letter navigate with the table above. The apostrophe is treated as the last letter of the alphabet, after Z.

For a pronunciation key, click on the blue "Catalogs" link below the article title.^[e]

---

 letter = èh? what? (names of letters are usually written as capitals in text: the létter Â, ín B flát mâjor, etc.)

a article *ə: schwa. It can be a strong form â, like the name of the letter Â, but habitual use, beloved of politicians and the like, sounds pompous; it can however be used for emphasis, meaning 'one', as for example of a tennis player trailing 4-6 2-0: At lêast hê lêads ín â sét.

Â-sîde

àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust (to both more a's may be added) ≈ àh response

àardvark

Ãaron; also Ãron or Áron and increasingly common is Áaron = Árron = Árran Isle

Ãaron Côpland

ábacus

abándoned: not -nned

Ábba, normal name case in English (in Swedish, all upper case, an acronym of the band's first names)

Abbàs

Ábbottabad or Abbóttabad

ábdomen

abdóminal

Aberdêen

áberrant *ábberant, cf. érrant

aberrâtion

Aberýstwýth

abét

abhŏr

abhórrent

âble capable = Âbel person

abòut = a bòut boxing *əbòut

abòut-türn

abòve

ábscéss (-bsc-)

ábsèil cf. sâil

ábsence

ábsent

absŏrb

absŏrption

abstâin

absténtion

ábstinence

abstrûse -ss

abûse noun, -ss; verb, -z

abúzz

abýsmal -zməl

abýss

ácadême

acadêmia

académic

acádemy

accêde accession ≈ excêed more

accélerate əx-, cf. excél, éxcellent

áccent áx-

accéntuate -x-

accépt receive əx-, cf. excépt exception íx- (minimal pair)

accéptable

áccess noun *áxéss, cf. áxis centre (minimal pair), áxes axe *axiz

accéss verb *əxéss, cf. excéss, *ixéss (minimal pair)

áccident áx-

accidéntally áx-

acclâim = a clâim

áccolade

accómmodate: two c's and two m's

accòmpaniment

accòmpany

accòmplíce person BrE; AmE accómplíce

accòmplísh achieve BrE; AmE accómplísh

accoûtrement

Accrà

accrédited

accrûe cf. acróss

acërbic cf. ascertâin

âche *âke

achìêve

ácmê

ácnê

ácolŷte

acquiésce *ákwì-éss, cf. quiéscent *kwì-éssent, quîet *kwîət

acquîre *aquîre

acquít

âcreage *âkerage

ácronym

acróss cf. accrûe

áctual *ákchəl

ácûmen *ákyəmən, cf. áccurate *ákyərət

ácupuncture

ádage

adàgio -jô

adaptâtion, cf. adóption

ádd more = ád advertisement

Áddis Ábaba

ádditive

addíctive

addréss BrE = a dréss; AmE áddress

adhêre (d and h pronounced separately)

adhêsive (d and h pronounced separately)

ád hóc, two words

ád infinîtum, cf. ínfinite, infínitive

ádjective cf. ejécted

adjöurn

adjúst *ajúst

ád nåusêám

adôbê

adóption

adrénalín, adrénaline

*adréss addréss

ádult BrE; AmE adúlt

adúltery

advānce

ádvent

advénture

ádversary -vəsrỳ or advërsary

ádvërt

ádvertise never -îze

advërtísement BrE; AmE ádvertîsement

advîce noun -ss

advîse verb pronounced but never spelt -îze

advîser = advîsor (alternatives)

Aêgêan *Êjêən

ãerial air = Ãriel person

ãerie bird = ãiry light and = variant spellings of bird: ãerie = éyrie = éyry

ãeroplane BrE; AmE ãirplane

Aêschylus BrE; AmE Êschylus *Êeskiləss

aêsthétics AmE ê-

afféct alter cf. efféct result í- or = afféct

áffect emotion

afféctive emotional cf. efféctive resultant

áffidâvit

áffluent

affrònt cf. effròntery

Afghánistān Áf-gán-; Áf-hán- and Áf-wàn- are local pronunciations

Áfghán cf. Áfrican -ən

aficionàdo -físh- or -físsy-

afrâid

África

Afrikàans -ànce

Afrikàner

āfter

āfterthŏught -åwt, one word

āfterwards

again, against: both have -én, but for some speakers there is a regular spelling pronunciation: agâin, agâinst

agâpe gaping

ágapê eros

ággravate

aggréssion

aggriêved

âge cf. édge: Francophones beware

âged: as in âged 20, pronounced *âyjd; when meaning old before a noun (an âged mán), *âyjíd

âgeing (BrE), âging (AmE), *âjing

âgeist *âjist

âge-ôld hyphenated

agô

ágriculture

àh response ≈ àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust (in the latter cases more a's may be added)

Àhmad Jamál

âid help = âide assistant; Âids or ÂIDS disease = âids, âides plurals

Âids or ÂIDS disease = âids, âides plurals

ãir breathe = Ãyr Scotland = ére before = é’er ever = héir estate = Éyre Jane; AmE ãir = AmE érr, cf. BrE ërr *üh

ãiry light = all four spellings of éyrie = éyry = ãerie = ãery bird, cf. êerie strange

aîsle walking space = îsle island

Âix France = âches ache

aj-: most words that sound as if they start like this actually have adj-

Ajáccio *Azháxio

Àjáx Amsterdam *Àyáx

Âjáx person

áka or ákà (can be capitals), acronym of ålso knôwn as

Ál Alan, etc. cf. åll total

Ál Arabic may be hyphenated to following capital-letter word in Arabic name; may also be ál

à là

Alabáma (Á): one m, cf. Montána, Louisiána

Aláddin

Álan (usually a given name) = Állen (usually a surname) = Állan (least common)

alás

Albânia (Á)

Ålbany

albêdo

albêit *åll bê ít

Álbert

albìno

Albuquërquê *Álbə-kïrky

Aldébaran

Åldwých

âle beer = âil ailing

Álfa Romèo, cf. álpha, Rômêo

Álfred

álgaê *áljê or *álgy

Algàrve

álgorithm rhymes with rhýthm

Áli = Álly persons = álley walk, except Muhámmad Alì *Àh-lêe boxer

âlias *âlius, cf. Alîas Don

álibî

Álíce

âlien

alienâtion

alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ friend, állêy way

alîgned *allîned, cf. állied

Álison = Állison, probably the former more common as given name, the latter as family name

Álistair = Álastair

alîve

åll every = åwl tool, cf. Ál name

allegâtions *allogations

allége cf. lédge, etc.

alléged *aléjd

allégedly *aléjidly

allêle

allelûia or allelûja or allelûya

állêy path = Áli person, cf. állŷ

allîance

álligâtor

allót assign = a lót much; cf. Állott

åll-òut total before noun needs hyphen

allòwed permitted = alòud heard

álloy

åll-stàr is an adjective, so needs hyphen

allûde əl-, cf. elûde, əl- or íl-

allûsion, əl-, cf. illûsion, íl-

állŷ friend, cf. Álly = Álì = állêy

allŷ verb = a lîe, cf. alîgn = a lîne

ålmanac

àlmond *àhmond

ålmost

àlms gift = BrE àrms body, weapons

alône

alóngside one word

a lót of many (*əlótəv), cf. a lót many = allót assign (*alót)

alòud audible = allòwed permitted

Aloýsius *Aləwíshəss

ál-Qaîda, Ál-Qaîda, ál-Qàêda, Ál-Qàêda (also minus hyphen) *ál-Kŷda: rarely does one hear an anglophone sound the glottal stop that is present here in the Arabic (*ál-Qà-êda)

alréady before = åll réady ready

alrîght = åll rîght: the single-word form presumably arose by analogy with alréady and ålways, but it is widely regarded as unacceptable: does it mean all correct, or satisfactory? "Their answers were alright" would appear to be an incorrect rendering of "their answers were all right/all correct", but it may merely mean "their answers were acceptable", and it is this needless ambiguity that gains the one-word version its detractors

Alsâtian

ålso

ålter change = åltar church

álter êgo

*altêrior ultêrior

altërnate adjective

ålternâte verb

altërnative

althôugh *åldhô

áltruism

alumínium BrE; AmE alûminum

alvêolar

ålways ever cf. áll wâys methods, styles

ám be

âm ante meridian *â-ém

ámateur *ámətər; AmE can be amateûr

ambássador cf. émbassy

ámbergrìs BrE, AmE ámbergrís; s may be silent

ambíguous

ambigûity

ambítious *ámbíshəss

amén BrE à, AmE â

amênable

aménd cf. comménd

aménds make = eménds alters

amênity, AmE also aménity

âmìable cf. âim

ámícable

Ammàn

ammunítion *ámyù-níshən

ámnesty

amók cf. amúck, same meaning

amòng

amòunt

an *ən: version of a before a consonant

anáchronism -nákr-

ânal

ánalŷse verb *ánnəlîze

ánalŷses verb and análysês noun *ənáləssêez are homographs; the first is the third person singular present tense of the verb, the second the plural of the noun

análysis noun *ənáləssís

ánalýst

ánarchy *ánəkỳ

anáthema

áncestor

ánchor -nk-

ánchovy -ntsh-

âncient

áncillãry AmE, BrE ancíllary

and *ənd, sometimes ánd for emphasis = & (the ampersand, always unstressed and used in proprietory names, show business acts, etc.)

andántè

Ándês

Andêan

Ándhra Pradésh

ánd ŏr ('and/or') is nowadays spoken and can be sometimes seen without the stroke inbetween

Andórra BrE, AmE -ŏrr-, cf. Pandŏra

Andrómeda

Ándreŵ

anémonê cf. an énemy

ângel *ânjəl, cf. ángle

ánger BrE *áng-gə

angîna *án-jînə

Ánglia

ánglophone

Ánglo-Sáxon

Angôla

ángry *áng-gry

ángst

Anguílla -gwí-

Anguíllan -gwí-

ánimè

ánimus cf. ûnánimous

áníse cf. Álíce (minimal pair)

Ánkara

ánnals cf. ánalyst

Ánnan: second a as schwa, rhymes with cánnon, making a minimal pair with Árran (but widely mispronounced with the stress on the second syllable, perhaps by analogy with Ammàn)

annéx verb

ánnex or ánnexe noun

annîhilate *annîəlâte

annúl cf. ánnal

anŏint cf. annòunce

anómaly

ánonýmity

anónymous

anoréxia

anòther one word

Ánschlùss

ānswer, silent w: BrE *ànsə, AmE *ánsr

antágonîse, -ísm, -íst

Antananarìvo *Antána-narìvo

Antàrctica: first c can be silent

ántê- before = BrE ántì against

anténna

anténnaê BrE = AmE anténnê, though some BrE speakers, perhaps recalling school Latin, say -nàê (-nî)

Ánthony usual = Ántony Mark, -tə-

ántì BrE, AmE ántî against = ántê- before

ántidote

Antìgua -gə

antirrhînum *antirŷnum

antisemític

antisémitism (some prefer 'anti-Semitism', but what, then, is 'Semitism'?)

Ántón, cf. Ánthony, Ántony

anxîety *angzîety

ánxious *ángkshəss or *ángshəss

any some *énny makes a minimal pair with Ánnie person

anybody *énnybódy one word

any mŏre, anymŏre *énny-mŏre: the one-word form is American English

anyone anybody *énnywún, one word; otherwise two: any òne îtem, where òne is a numeral: cf. any thrêe óptions

anyway despite one word, cf. where wây is a noun: any wây yoû loòk at ít, dôn't chânge ít ín any wây

ãorist

apâce fast = a pâce step

apàrt separate = a pàrt section, hence apàrt from and a pàrt of

apàrtheîd -tîte or -tâte

apéritìf either stressed

aphêlion *əfêliən, *əp-hêliən

âphid

apìêce each one word = a pìêce part

aplénty

apócalypse

apócryphal, cf. êpoch -óc, crýpt

ápogêe -jì

apólogîse verb

apólogíes plural noun

*apón upón

apóstasy

apóstate

apóstle

apóstrophê

ápp, abbreviation of applicátion; there is also a surname Ápps

appål; AmE can be appåll

Appalâchia -sh- or -ch-; or Appaláchia -ch- (though Delius pronounced it, and his musical work, *Appalàkia)

appålling

apparátchik

ápparâtus BrE either stressed (to children it can sound plural, ‘apperators’, like óperators); AmE apparátus

appárel

appárent

appêar

appêasement

appêaser

applåuse

*appôse oppôse

approval -prû-

approve -prû-

âpricot

à priŏrî two words

àpriŏrísm one word

apropôs *ápropô

Aquãrius

aquátic

áqueous

Áquila

*aquîre acquîre

A&R *ayənàr

ár- BrE is ãr- for some AmE speakers: ãrrogant, etc.

Árab adjective, person, some AmE Ãrab

Arâbian adjective

Árabic language, some AmE Ãrabic

àrbíter

àrbítrary

àrc circle = Àrk Noah = Àrc Joan

àrced arc *àrkt

archâíc *àrkâyíc

archeólogy àrk-

Archimêdês Àrk-

archipélago àrk-

àrchive *àrkîve

àrchivist *àrkîvist, *àrkəvist

arcmínute, arcsécond both one word

Àrctic

àre BrE = àh

Àrês Mars, cf. Ãríes Ram, both -z

ãrêa space *ãrêə, cf. ària, êra

Argentìna, Àrgentîne, Argentínian = Argentínean Àrj-

àrgil clay, soft g

argot slang = Àrgo ship

àrgue

àrgument

Argŷll Scotland = Argŷle elsewhere, hard g

ària opera cf. ãrea space

Ãrian

Ariáne

árid

Ãríes -ríz

árístocrat BrE á stressed, AmE í stressed

aristocrátic

Àrk Noah = àrc circle = Àrc Joan

Àrkansas BrE -såw, AmE -sà

aròund = a ròund

arrêars

arrést

arrhythmic

àrsenal *àrssnəl

àrson

arrhýthmic

àrt déco or Àrt Déco (may retain French accent on é)

àrtefact or àrtifact

artêsian well *àrtêzhən

artifícial -shəl

artisán art *àrtizán

àrtist art

artìste stage

asbéstós

ascénd: derived words can be spelt with either a or e:

ascéndance or ascéndence

ascéndancy or ascéndency

ascéndant or ascéndent

ascént climb = assént agree

ascertâin cf. acërbic

Áscot

ÁSEAN or Ásean association *Ássián, cf. Âsian Asia, *Âyzhən

Áshlêy = Áshlêigh

Âsia *Âsha or *Âzha

ásinine áss-

askānce

áspartâme or aspàrtâme

Ásperger's

*áspéstóss asbéstos

ásphalt

asphýxiate

áspirin medicine -spr-, cf. aspîring aspire

Ássád, first syllable stressed, making a minimal pair with ácid

assássin has four s’s

assént agree = ascént climb

asséss

ássét

assîgn *əssîne = a sîgn

assignâtion *ássíg-nâtion

assîgnment *əssînemənt

assuâge *əsswâge

assûme *əssyûme

assûre AmE -shûre, BrE –shůre

ásterisk

ásterism

Ásterix

ásthma *ássma

asúnder

as wéll two words

asŷlum

âte AmE; BrE *ét

âthêíst cf. aesthétic

at lêast two words

átóll

atône

âtrium

atrôcious -shəss

atrócity

áttaboy one word

attáchè -áshây

attácks = a táx

*attône: atône

attörney

Åuckland

auctionêer åukshə-

auditǒrium

augmént

augúst revered

Åugust month

Åuld Láng Sŷne (from Robert Burns, Scots, "Old Long Since") or ...*Zŷne

Àùng Sán Sûu Kyìi *Òwng Sán Sûe Chêe

āunt uncle AmE = ánt insect

au fâit *ô-fây

au fónd *ô-fón, French nasal -ón

au pãir, ôp-

åural ear = ŏral mouth, though the first may be pronounced àùral to distinguish it

Aus Australia = Óz Wizard

Àùschwitz *Òushvíts

åuspices

Aussie Australasian -z- = Óssy = Óssie persons

Austen Jane = Austin car, Texas Ó-

Austrâlia Ó-

Austria Ó-

åutarchy sovereignty = åutarky self-sufficiency

authóritative BrE; AmE authŏritâtive

authórity

åutism

àùtobàhn

åutomobìle

åutumn silent n

autúmnal, n sounded

avâil = a vèil

ávalānche

ávant-gàrde (gàrde = guàrd) hyphenated

Áviemore

avocàdo

avoirdupŏis *ávədə-pŏiz

aẁash with = a ẁash

awây = a wây = awêigh

åwe amaze = BrE ŏr, etc.

awêigh anchors = awây go

åwesome

åwful

awhîle adverb = a whîle noun; the one-word form is rarely correct, as it can only be used after a verb, not after a preposition (ín, āfter, fŏr etc.), and also has a rather poetic feel, typically in utterances such as línger awhîle, stây awhîle; compare: stây for a whîle, hê'll bè hêre ín a whîle, a shŏrt whîle, ít háppened a whîle báck, ít's bêen a whîle

åwkward *åwquəd

åwl tool = åll total

âwol, ÂWOL

awrŷ

áxe chop BrE; AmE áx = ácts act (the plurals of áxe/áx and áxis have the same spelling, but different pronunciations, as follows)

áxes axe -íz

áxês axis -êz, cf. áccess

áxis spin -íss

áxle car = Áxel person

Áxminster

aŷe yes = eŷe see = Î me

Aŷn Ránd

Ãyr Scotland = ãir breathe

Ãyrshire

Azerbaijàn Ázerbaî-jàn

Azéri

ázure -zh-