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| syl·la·ble [ sílləb'l ] |
noun (plural syl·la·bles) |
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| Definition: |
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1. unit of spoken language: a unit of spoken language that consists of one or more vowel sounds alone, a syllabic consonant alone, or any of these with one or more consonant sounds
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2. letters corresponding to spoken syllable: one or more letters in a word that roughly correspond to a syllable of spoken language
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3. mention: the slightest bit of something that is spoken or written
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usually used in negative statements
)
  Don't breathe a syllable of this - it's a secret.
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transitive verb (past and past participle syl·la·bled, present participle syl·la·bling, 3rd person present singular syl·la·bles) |
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| Definition: |
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pronounce something clearly: to pronounce something in distinct or separate syllables
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| [14th century. < Anglo-Norman sillable, alteration of Old French sillabe, via Latin syllaba< Greek sullabē< sullambanein "bring together" < lambanein "take"] |
