The word intimate is divided into 4 syllables: in·ti·ma·te. Understanding this syllable division is essential for correct pronunciation and spelling.
The phonetic transcription of intimate:
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Borrowed from Latin intimātus, the perfect passive participle of intimō (“to put or bring into, to impress, to make familiar”) (see -ate (adjective forming suffix)), from intimus (“inmost, innermost, most intimate”), superlative of intus (“within”), from in (“in”); see interior. From a substantivization of the above adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. From Latin intimātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Cognate with Fre...
Understanding how to break down intimate into syllables helps with:
intimate has 4 syllables: in·ti·ma·te. The word is divided into 4 distinct sound units that make up the complete pronunciation.
The stress is on the first syllable: in. This means you emphasize the "in" part when pronouncing intimate.
intimate is pronounced as /ˈɪn.tɪ.mət/ (IPA notation). The syllables are divided as: in·ti·ma·te.
Breaking intimate into syllables helps with spelling: in·ti·ma·te. By pronouncing each syllable separately, you can identify the letters more easily and avoid common spelling mistakes.
Learning syllable division helps with correct pronunciation, improved spelling, better reading fluency, and is useful for poetry and lyric writing where syllable counting matters. It's especially helpful for language learners.