ENUNCIATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does enunciate mean? 

• ENUNCIATE (verb)
  The verb ENUNCIATE has 2 senses:

1. speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way

2. express or state clearly

  Familiarity information: ENUNCIATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ENUNCIATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they enunciate    ... he / she / it enunciates   
Past simple: enunciated   
Past participle: enunciated   
-ing form: enunciating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

articulate; enounce; enunciate; pronounce; say; sound out

Context example:

Can the child sound out this complicated word?

"Enunciate" entails doing...:

mouth; speak; talk; utter; verbalise; verbalize (express in speech)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "enunciate"):

syllabise; syllabize (utter with distinct articulation of each syllable)

roll (pronounce with a roll, of the phoneme /r/)

explode (cause to burst as a result of air pressure; of stop consonants like /p/, /t/, and /k/)

flap (pronounce with a flap, of alveolar sounds)

sibilate (pronounce with an initial sibilant)

trill (pronounce with a trill, of the phoneme 'r')

click (produce a click)

vocalise; vocalize; vowelise; vowelize (pronounce as a vowel)

accent; accentuate; stress (put stress on; utter with an accent)

lisp (speak with a lisp)

labialise; labialize; round (pronounce with rounded lips)

drawl (lengthen and slow down or draw out)

twang (pronounce with a nasal twang)

subvocalise; subvocalize (articulate without making audible sounds)

retroflex (articulate (a consonant) with the tongue curled back against the palate)

sound; vocalise; vocalize; voice (utter with vibrating vocal chords)

aspirate (pronounce with aspiration; of stop sounds)

mispronounce; misspeak (pronounce a word incorrectly)

nasalise; nasalize (speak nasally or through the nose)

nasalise; nasalize (pronounce with a lowered velum)

palatalise; palatalize (pronounce a consonant with the tongue against the palate)

lilt (articulate in a very careful and rhythmic way)

raise (pronounce (vowels) by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth)

devoice (utter with tense vocal chords)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

enunciation (the articulation of speech regarded from the point of view of its intelligibility to the audience)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Express or state clearly

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

articulate; enunciate; vocalise; vocalize

Hypernyms (to "enunciate" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

enunciation (the articulation of speech regarded from the point of view of its intelligibility to the audience)

 Context examples 

He quoted Spencer and Malthus, and enunciated the biological law of development.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

"Quite well," he enunciated; and, with a bow, he left the gate.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"Well, I'll be damned!" he enunciated slowly and solemnly.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Remember, I am enunciating biology and not sentimental ethics.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Imagine Mr. Butler living up to social etiquette and enunciating his views on Paul Verlaine or the German drama or the novels of D'Annunzio.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Judge Blount ably seconded him, and Martin, whose ears had pricked at the first mention of the philosopher's name, listened to the judge enunciate a grave and complacent diatribe against Spencer.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It gave him exquisite delight to watch every movement and play of those lips as they enunciated the words she spoke; yet they were not ordinary lips such as all men and women had.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)