English spellings/Catalogs/Retro E

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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 end in E. The list is in retroalphabetical order, that is, alphabetically beginning with the final letter of the word (in this case E) and continuing backwards through it.

The apostrophe is treated as the last letter of the alphabet, after Z. Click on the blue "Catalogs" link below the article title for a pronunciation key.[e]


final e is mostly silent; for words often italicised and ending in written -é see French words in English: e

from Latin, from Greek -αι (though in most cases AmE has only -ê)

(some Korean names also have -âe finally) *réggay réggâe

nébulaê

fŏrmulaê

anténnaê

nôvaê

scrîbe

descrîbe

medicine prescrîbeillegal proscrîbe

zé- xénophobe

lôbe

fâce

*préffis préface

*ménnis ménace

Ẁallis = Ẁallace

*Hórris, rhyming with words in -óris - Hórace

*térris térrace

îce

sácrifîce

órifíce BrE; AmE ǒrifíce

sürplíce

nîce

Véníce

cŏrníce

chŏice

vŏice

hóspíce

thrîce

caprìce

trîce

pôultíce

láttíce

BrE verb práctíse = noun, AmE verb práctíce

nôtíce

devîce

crévíce

véngeance

sometimes written as in French séance - sèànce

chānce

lānce

survèillance

vígilance

románce

perfŏrmance

noun = verb either stressed fînánce

híndrance

forbéarance

enter éntrance

beguile entrānce

cf. exístence - stānce

cf. exístence - resístance

AmE lîcense, cf. BrE and AmE suspénse - lîcence

*ákwêeyéssənss; cf. présence, -zənss - acquiéscence

câdence

décadence

transcéndence

subsîdence

évidence

próvidence

correspóndence

cf. dénse - fénce

AmE defénse - defénce

AmE offénse - offénce

hénce

scîence

-shənss cónscience

åudience

-âshence impâtience

cf. prevâil - prévalence

vîolence

përmanence

adhêrence

occúrrence

rêcúrrence

ábsence

présence

cómpetence

séntence

insístence

cf. stānce - exístence

ínfluence

mint míntsmeat mínce

print príntsroyal prínce

fìêrce

pìêrce

coërce

enfŏrce

-êí- reinfŏrce

divŏrce

verbs -ésce

-éss acquiésce

*côwaléss coalésce

-éss effervésce

BrE -dyoôss or -joôss, AmE doôss -dûce

redûce

indûce

verb prodûce

noun próduce

Jŏyce

fâde

shâde

jâde

glâde

woman mâid = make mâde

grenâde

sh-; AmE charâde, BrE charàde

parâde

concêde

intercêde

supersêde

stressed in verbs, unstressed in nouns, but always pronounced -îde

régicide

sûicide

cŷanide

derîde

asîde

besîde

*rizîde resîde

one word úpside

one word dòwnside

provîde

óxide

in some names -forde

íl- elûde

əl- allûde

lóngitude

látitude

áttitude

insect bêe

divorcêe

fêe

cóffee

banóffee

tóffee

Yánkee

glêe

detainêe

referêe

as a suffix meaning without, -frêe should be at least hyphenated, never a separate word: cãrefrêe and commítment-frêe

degrêe

pédigree

sêe

*lîcencêe licensêe

cf. députy - devotêe

payêe

-êe has main stress when in contrast to emplŏyer - emplŏyêe

gáffe

lîfe

*nîfe knîfe

wîfe

âge

mostly -íj -age

-íj cábbage

-íj bándage

*hémərij haémorrhage

*fôlìíj fôlìage

*cárríj cárriage

*márríj márriage

-àzh fûselage

-àzh cámouflage

-íj víllage

-àzh cóllage

-íj dámage

-íj mánage

-àzh bádinage

BrE *gáràj; *gáríj is regarded by many as uneducated; AmE *gəràzh gáràge

-íj áverage

person Béveridge = -íj drink béverage

-íj lêverage

-àzh míràge

-íj stŏrage

BrE *báràj, AmE *bəràzh bárràge

sâge

BrE *məssàj, AmE *məssàzh mássàge

-íj méssage

-àzh dréssàge

-íj ûsage

-àzh sábotàge

-íj cóttage

-íj wâstage

-íj hóstage

-íj lánguage

-íj sávage

bádge

édge

plédge

slédge

-íj knówledge

mídge

rídge

brídge

pórridge

dódge

stódge

fúdge

sácrilege

prívilege

cf. édge - allége

oblîge

-êezh prestìge

-íj véstíge

chânge

whínge

lòunge

scròunge

Dôge

bàrge

làrge

dïrge

fŏrge

ürge

scöurge

pürge

sürge

*âke âche

BrE *məstàsh, AmE *mústásh moustāche

-kê synécdochê

cf. trôphy, átrophy - catástrophê

apóstrophê

*dhə before consonants, *dhê before vowels: thê

cf. noun bréath, unvoiced th - verb brêathe

cf. noun wrêath, unvoiced th - verb wrêathe

cf. noun clóth - lôathe rhymes with clôthe

colour dŷe = death dîe

bïrdìê

Chàrly = Chàrlie

surname Wílley = Wílly = Wíllie

Cónnie

Lónnie

Rónnie

pîe

soft g - menágerìê

côterìê

cálorìê

éyrìê

bâke

câke

Jâke

cf. bláck, Bláck - Blâke

mâke

snâke

sâke

tâke

eat steâk = hold stâke

mistâke

lîke

chîldlîke

gódlîke

wårlîke

cátlîke

pîke

chôke

brôke

broòk rhymes with Ládbroke

broòk rhymes with Bólingbroke

evôke

provôke

wôke

rebûke

dûke

cf. noun, adjective fînal - noun finàlê

cf. adjective rátional - noun rationàle

cf. Âbel, Bâbel, 'lâbel, Mâbel - âble

impertürbable

applícable

dis- despícable

an e may be retained before -able to show either the pronunciation of the preceding consonant or the long sound of the preceding vowel -eable

-nsəble pronòunceable

-jəble mánageable

-jəble chângeable

-kəble unshâkable or unshâkeable

-ləble sâlable or sâleable

gâble

cf. lâbel - avâilable

unwínnable

ádmirable

desîrable

sâble

advîsable

tâble

debâtable

insurmòuntable

stâble

cònstable

forgívable

dábble

rábble

cf. rébel - pébble

dríbble

cóbble

góbble

hóbble

nóbble

wóbble

Húbble

rúbble

stúbble

édible

tánj- tángible

fállible

térrible

hórrible

comprehénsible

apprehénsible

sénsible

-sable is French - respónsible

axé- accéssible

colléctible

suscéptible

contémptible

irresístible

ámble

prê- preámble

gámble

rámble

scrámble

assémble

dissémble

*rizémble resémble

*onsómble ensemble

nímble

thímble

búmble

fúmble

húmble

júmble

múmble

rúmble

crúmble

grúmble

túmble

stúmble

nôble

doúble

AmE rûble = BrE roûble

troúble

pínnacle

bàrnacle

téntacle

óbstacle

*vêícle vêhicle

véntricle

pàrticle

*úngkəl úncle

càrbuncle

Chêadle

tréadle

crâdle

páddle

stráddle

ẁaddle

tẁaddle

médal medallion = interfere méddle

bicycle pédal = sell péddle

díddle

fíddle

míddle

píddle

ríddle

códdle

cúddle

fúddle

befúddle

húddle

múddle

cándle

dándle

hándle

spíndle

noôdle

poôdle

gïrdle

cürdle

hürdle

kerfúffle

trúffle

strúggle

invêigle

g sounded separately from ng -ngle

ángle

bángle

dángle

spángle

wrángle

wángle

bürgle

bûgle

bîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl môbile

åutomobìle

fîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl frágile

Ánglophîle

mîle

símilê

*fáx-íməly facsímilê

smîle

pîle

rîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl stérile

BrE -île, AmE -əl prayers míssal = war míssile

tîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl vólatile

mërcantîle

ínfantîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl hóstile

*gîle, hard g - guîle

revîle

táckle

héckle

fréckle

píckle

tíckle

cóckle

búckle

ánkle

tínkle

wrínkle

wínkle

food gríll = screen grílle

fire côal = person Côle

dôle

hôle

môle

ballot pôll = Poland Pôle = wood pôle

over, eat rôll = play rôle

partíciple

adjective, person príncipal = belief prínciple

discîple

sāmple

exāmple

dímple

símple

rúmple

crúmple

stêeple rhymes with pêople

nípple

rípple

típple

coúple

scrûple

vással and in AmE words in -āstle rhyme with hássle

-zle tòusle

person Súttle = obvious súbtle

chŏrtle

-səl -stle

cāstle

véssel rhymes with -éstle

néstle

tréstle

wréstle

whístle

grístle

Rússell rhymes with -ústle

bústle

hústle

rústle

líttle

cáttle

kéttle

gold métal = courage méttle

bóttle

súbtle rhymes with shúttle

-ûel rhymes with -ûle

módule

mûle

rûle

cápsule

dázzle

fízzle

cf. drível - drízzle

sízzle

púzzle

person Mêe = you

cf. âim - câme

gâme

lâme

sâme

frâme

tâme

extrême

dîme

.*rèzhìme regìme

lîme

verse rhŷme = frost rîme

tîme

íncòme

òutcòme

dôme

hôme

gênome

Alaska Nôme = garden gnôme

sòme

səm -some

troúblesome

hándsome

thrêesome

h- whôlesome

wínsome

cf. hysteréctomy - epítomê

*rizyûme resûme

*rézumây, written with French accents avoids confusion with resûme: résumé

*prizyûme presûme

-syû- consûme

-syû- assûme

frost rîme = verse rhŷme

fruit lîme = England Lŷme

énzŷme

bâne

persons Câin = Câine = stick câne

urbâne

Dâne

mêthane

cf. Joánne - Diáne

Jâne

lâne

cf. remâin - relevant germâne

scêne

obscêne

gángrêne

-ône colôgne

-îgn rhymes with -îne

person Germâine

mìgrâine

Ukrâine

.*Mádlin or *Mádlən - Mádeleíne

refîne

confîne

éngíne

cf. hérôín drug, hérôíne hero - méscalíne

declîne

reclîne

mîne

vërmín rhymes with ërmíne

detërmíne

sërpentîne

türpentîne

intéstíne

K- Chrístìne

prístìne

magazìne

win wòn = number òne

cône

cf. Stône of Scone, *Scoôn - scóne

dòne

condône

góne

shóne

alône

anémonê

nòne

atône

stône

cf. Kíngston, both have o as schwa - Mâidstone

zône

ãirbŏrne

o as schwa in best Aus pronunciation Mélbourne

Êastbŏurne

  • dí-mâin demèsne

= -ô, -ôw - -ôe

ôboe

dôe

fôe

-oô shoe

Jôe

rhyming with Zôê: *Klôwêe: Chlôê

-oô canoe

rôe

tôe

wôe

rhyming with Chlôê: Zôê

grâpe

grîpe

strîpe

wîpe

Penélopê

ántelôpe

or ón- énvelôpe

hŷpe

tŷpe

shãre

awãre

bewãre

prepãre

îronwãre

sóftwãre

-re as schwa - *âkər âcre

-re as schwa - -kər mássacre

ear hêar = this hêre

them théir = that thére

clothes wéãr = place whère

mêre

was wëre

sevêre

*ôker *AmE ôcher BrE ôchre

shîre

in England, schwa, -shə -shire

*Glóstersher Glóucestershire

*Léstersher Léicestershire

*Wùstersher Worcestershire

-shîre in Scotland – though non-Scots may not comply Âyrshîre

hîre

mîre

cf. fŏr - befŏre

to the fŏre

thérefore

(and, for some, toûr guide) rock tŏr = téar tŏre

bizàrre

AmE thêater BrE thêatre

length AmE mêter BrE mêtre

AmE cénter BrE céntre

AmE scépter BrE scéptre

cûre

cf. grándeûr - endûre

abjûre

-jər ínjure

-jər cònjure

përjure

lûre

-lyər fâilure

BrE əlyûə allûre

BrE Shåw = AmE sûre

-zhər -sure

pléasure

méasure

tréasure

léisure

clôsure

-sh- préssure

-sh- físsure

-chər -ture

matûre

nâture

státure

pāstûre

fûture

sûture

AmE maneûver BrE manoeûvre

wê’re

of you yŏur = days yŏre = you are yŏu’re

here thére = them théir = they thèy’re

chêese, slêaze and frêeze rhyme with êase

-ss lêase

êase rhymes with plea plêas = request plêase

-ss crêase

verb, noun -ss decrêase

verb, noun -ss incrêase

-z têase

âce rhymes with châse

confuse fâze = temporary phâse

-êez (no nationalities end in -ìse); usually stressed but can become unstressed before a noun as in Jápanese: -êse

chêese

jöurnalêse

Nepalêse

Cóngolêse

Jápanêse

Chînêse

In all words apart from those specified below, -îse can be spelt -îze, for example críticize, and this is how -îse is pronounced in most verbs -îse

críticîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize noun, verb éxercîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize mërchandîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize fránchîse

vërbalîse

rêalise

êqualîse

-êez valìse

fërtilîse

never spelt -ize because it is a noun and pronounced -íss prémíse

never spelt -ize because pronounced -íss noun, verb prómíse

pronounced but never spelt -ize cómpromîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize surmîse

*pŏrpus pŏrpoise

*tŏrtus tŏrtoise

pronounced but never spelt -ize despîse

glámorise

-êez reprìse

pronounced but never spelt -ize comprîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize surprîse

presh- pressurîse

émphasîse

práctíce = BrE verb práctíse

áppetîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize ádvertîse

*éxpertêez expertìse

silent u; pronounced but never spelt -ize disguîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize advîse

cf. noun devîce - -z verb devîse

pronounced but never spelt *wîze wîse

pronounced but never spelt -wize -wîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize lîkewîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize clóckwîse

-ss, as also hénce, fénce - dénse

sénse

nónsense

cf. defénce, lîcence, offénce where AmE has -ense, all -ss suspénse

cf. dôze -ss dôse

-z chôse

grandiôse

.*loôze lose

noun, adjective -s, verb -z clôse

-z nôse

-z choôse

.*lûce loôse

-z expôse

can have French accent: exposé *expôzây expôsè

-z rôse

ápse

lápse

noun rêlapse

verb relápse

collápse

trâipse

eclípse

cop cóps = wood cópse

hëarse

cf. revërse - rehëarse

tërse

vërse

avërse

ádverse

cf. rehëarse - revërse

gŏrse

voice hŏarse = animal hŏrse

wörse

cürse

nürse

bŏurse

vulgar cŏarse = run cŏurse

-z ûse

no! -z refûse

rubbish -ss réfuse

-z mûse

liquid oôze = River Oûse

-ss dòuse

noun -ss, verb -z hòuse

-ss lòuse

-ss mòuse

-ss spòuse

cf. -ss Ròuse = Ròwse persons: -z ròuse

cf. Drûze: -z rûse

-îze ánalyse

-îze páralyse

lure bâit = anger, breath bâte

debâte

rêbâte

-âte verb, -ət noun prédicate

índicâte

víndicâte

-ət certíficate

BrE -ət, AmE -âte - cándidate

fâte

hâte

lâte

-âte verb, -ət adjective artículate

régulâte

mâte

-ít or -ət clîmate

-âte verb, -ət adjective éstimate

guésstimate

person Spèight = rush spâte

séparate

-rət dísparate

-âte verb, -ət adjective delíberate

cf. ônerous - exónerâte

-rət désperate

émigrate

ímmigrate

-âte verb, -ət adjective eláborate

máj- mágistrâte

démonstrâte

rémonstrâte

-âte verb, -ət adjective precípitate

áctivâte

effête

complête

.*sôshalîte sôcialîte

elìte

polîte

gráníte

fînîte

.*définət définite

.*ínfinət ínfinite

unîte

despîte

AmE réspíte - réspîte

hýpocríte

AmE -or-; BrE fâvouríte

Trótskyîte

can be written 'Brontë' - Bróntê

ánecdote

ántidote

môte

nôte

vôte

fŏrtè

càste

hâste

châste

usually stressed -ét -étte

oô- oubliétte

serviétte

matress pállet = paint pálette

cf. hámlet - *ómlet ómelette

kitchenétte

tríbûte

cóntríbûte

dístríbûte

noun áttribûte

verb attríbute

.*mínít time mínute

.*mŷ-neŵt small minûte

repûte

compûte

cf. ínput - impûte

bŷte

nêophŷte

mostly silent -ue

bàrbecûe

âgûe

.*lêag lêague

persons Hãig = Hâigh = city, person Hâgue

.*plâig plâgue

.*Pràg Pràgue

.*sâygwây sèguè

-êeg noun íntrigue

-êeg verb intrìgue

-êeg fatìgue

.*meráng meringue

.*túng tòngue

-góg: all these words may, and in most cases must lose the final -ue in American English -gógue

-óg sýnagogue

-óg dîalogue

àrgûe

blow bleŵ = colour blûe

clûe

influenza flû = chimney flûe

glûe

cf. síneŵ - ávenûe

révenûe

final que is -k: many words end like this, but not bàrbecûe - que

-àk pláque

-âik opâque

.*Môzám-bêek Mozambìque

cf. reálpolitìk - critìque

-ésk burlésque

-ésk Pinterésque

-ésk picturésque

-ósk mósque

cf. brísk -oòsk brùsque

Susan Sûe = law sûe

.*insyû ensûe

-syû pursûe

.*íshû íssue

.*tíshû tíssue

câve

Dâve

gâve

háve

cónclâve

pâve

râve

crâve

serious, dead grâve

accent gràve

sw- suàve

êve

slêeve

belìêve

relìêve

grìêve

síeve

sémibrêve

côërcíve

dîve

éndíve

recêive

concêive

fîve

cf. jîve dance - hard g in take gíve

hîve

líve

alîve

derîve

arrîve

contrîve

persuâsíve

adhêsíve

defénsíve

offénsíve

crêâtíve

tålkatíve

nâtive

words which have secondary stressed AmE -âtive, two syllables after the main stress: AmE imáginâtive, BrE a as schwa: imáginatíve

objéctíve

ádjectíve

invéctíve

sénsitíve

repétitíve

môtíve

revîve

abòve

bird dòve

(BrE is regular dîved) AmE dive dôve

England Hôve = heave hôve

shòve

lòve

glòve

.*moôve move

groôve

rôve

grôve

stôve

trôve

strôve

nërve

sërve

.*prizërv presërve

Î’ve

wê’ve

yoû’ve

thèy’ve

Zimbàbwè

me yoû = sheep eŵe

Lërner and Lôewe

Lilóngwè

AmE áx - BrE áxe

me Î = sight eŷe

pig, eye stŷ = eye stŷe

plêase and frêeze rhyme with slêaze

period phâse = confuse fâze

gâze

ádze

free frêes = cold frêeze

trapêze

most words in -îse can also be spelt -îze: all exceptions are listed under -îse. -îze

never -ise sêize

apart prîse = present prîze

never -ise sîze

dôze

búlldoze

Drûze

both pronounced -îze BrE ánalŷse, AmE ánalŷze

both pronounced -îze BrE páralŷse, AmE páralŷze