The word laughter is divided into 2 syllables: laught·er. Understanding this syllable division is essential for correct pronunciation and spelling.
The phonetic transcription of laughter:
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From Middle English laughter, laghter, laȝter, from Old English hleahtor (“laughter, jubilation, derision”), from Proto-Germanic *hlahtraz (“laughter”), from Proto-Indo-European *klek-, *kleg- (“to shout”). Cognate with German Gelächter (“laughter, hilarity, merriment”), Danish and Norwegian latter (“laughter”), Icelandic hlátur (“laughter”). More at laugh. From Old English hleahtor, from Proto-Germanic *hlahtraz.
Understanding how to break down laughter into syllables helps with:
Compare laughter with related words to understand syllable patterns:
| Word | Syllables | Division |
|---|---|---|
| laughter | 2 | laught·er |
| lighter | 2 | light-er |
| lecturer | 3 | lec-tur-er |
| locator | 3 | lo-ca-tor |
| ligature | 4 | li-ga-tu-re |
Explore syllable divisions of words related to laughter:
laughter has 2 syllables: laught·er. The word is divided into 2 distinct sound units that make up the complete pronunciation.
The stress is on the first syllable: laught. This means you emphasize the "laught" part when pronouncing laughter.
laughter is pronounced as /ˈlɑːftə/ (IPA notation). The syllables are divided as: laught·er.
Breaking laughter into syllables helps with spelling: laught·er. 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.