How to pronounce lenition
Say it like luh-NISH-un. Lenition has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NISH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce lenition. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- luh
- NISH
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lenition pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- luhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- NISHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of lenition
American and British speakers say lenition in essentially the same way: /ləˈnɪʃən/ in the US and /lɪˈnɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: lih-NISH-un.
What does lenition mean?
- A weakening of articulation causing a consonant to become lenis (soft).
Where does lenition come from?
Analyzable as lenis + -ition, or as if from Latin lēnīt(us) + -ion, or Latin lēnītiō (“softening”) from lēniō (“soften”) + -tiō (action noun suffix) (attested since at least the 1500s, the same timeframe lenition is first attested in Englis
Words that rhyme with lenition
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lenition.
Questions about saying lenition
How do you pronounce lenition?
Say luh-NISH-un. The American pronunciation is /ləˈnɪʃən/. In British English it is /lɪˈnɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lenition?
Lenition has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NISH). Broken into parts: luh · NISH · un.
Do Americans and Brits say lenition the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ləˈnɪʃən/ and the British form is /lɪˈnɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.