The word scarce is divided into 2 syllables: scar·ce. Understanding this syllable division is essential for correct pronunciation and spelling.
The phonetic transcription of scarce:
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From Middle English scars, scarse, from Old Northern French scars, escars ("sparing, niggard, parsimonious, miserly, poor"; > French échars, Medieval Latin scarsus (“diminished, reduced”)), of uncertain origin. One theory is that it derives originally from a Late Latin *scarpsus, *excarpsus, a participle form of *excarpere (“take out”), from Latin ex- + carpere; yet the sense evolution is difficult to trace. Compare Middle Dutch schaers (“scarce”), Middle Dutch schaers (“a pair of...
Understanding how to break down scarce into syllables helps with:
Compare scarce with related words to understand syllable patterns:
| Word | Syllables | Division |
|---|---|---|
| scarce | 2 | scar·ce |
| shriek | 1 | shriek |
| Sayers | 1 | sayers |
| Sikorsky | 2 | si-korsky |
| sucrose | 3 | su-cro-se |
Explore syllable divisions of words related to scarce:
scarce has 2 syllables: scar·ce. The word is divided into 2 distinct sound units that make up the complete pronunciation.
The stress is on the first syllable: scar. This means you emphasize the "scar" part when pronouncing scarce.
scarce is pronounced as /ˈskɛəs/ (IPA notation). The syllables are divided as: scar·ce.
Breaking scarce into syllables helps with spelling: scar·ce. 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.