English spellings/Catalogs/A

The metadata subpage is missing. You can start it via filling in this form or by following the instructions that come up after clicking on the [show] link to the right.

Do you see this on PREVIEW? then SAVE! before following a link. To find out more about the use of metadata for the management of Citizendium pages, see CZ:Metadata. You may see this box for one of two reasons. Either: A - New page has been created, or subpages template was added to an existing page B - Cluster move is in progress Click either the A or B link for further instructions. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template] A - For a New Cluster use the following directions Subpages format requires a metadata page. Using the following instructions will complete the process of creating this article's subpages. Click the blue "metadata template" link below to create the page. On the edit page that appears paste in the article's title across from "pagename =". You might also fill out the checklist part of the form. Ignore the rest. For background, see Using the Subpages template Don't worry--you'll get the hang of it right away. Remember to hit Save! the "metadata template". However, you can create articles without subpages. Just delete the {{subpages}} template from the top of this page and this prompt will disappear. :) Don't feel obligated to use subpages, it's more important that you write sentences, which you can always do without writing fancy code. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template] B - For a Cluster Move use the following directions The metadata template should be moved to the new name as the first step. Please revert this move and start by using the Move Cluster link at the top left of the talk page. The name prior to this move can be found at the following link. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template]

---

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list
Common misspellings

This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with A. To see a different letter navigate with the table above. The apostrophe is treated as the last letter of the alphabet, after Z.

For a pronunciation key, click on the blue "Catalogs" link below the article title.^[e]

---

 letter = èh? what? (names of letters are usually written as capitals in text: the létter Â, ín B flát mâjor, etc.)

a article *ə: schwa. It can be a strong form â, like the name of the letter Â, but habitual use, beloved of politicians and the like, sounds pompous; it can however be used for emphasis, meaning 'one', as for example of a tennis player trailing 4-6 2-0: At lêast hê lêads ín â sét.

Â-sîde

àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust (more a's may be added) ≈ àh response

àardvark

Ãaron; also Ãron or Áron and now some say Áaron = Árran Isle

ábacus

abándoned: not -nned

Ábba, normally lower-case in English

Abbàs

ábdomen

abdóminal

Aberdêen

áberrant *ábberant

Aberýstwýth

aberrâtion

abét

abhŏr

abhórrent

âble capable = Âbel person

abòut *əbòut

abòut-türn

ábscéss (-bsc-)

ábsèil cf. sâil

ábsence

ábsent

absŏrb

absŏrption

abstâin

absténtion

ábstinence

abýsmal -zməl

abýss

ácadême

acadêmia

académic

acádemy

accélerate əx-, cf. excél, éxcellent

áccent áx-

accéntuate -x-

accépt receive əx-, cf. excépt exception íx- (minimal pair)

áccess noun *áxéss, cf. áxis (minimal pair)

accéss verb *əxéss, cf. excéss, *ixéss (minimal pair)

áccident áx-

accidéntally áx-

áccolade

accómmodate: two c's and two m's

accòmpaniment

accòmpany

accòmplíce person BrE; AmE accómplíce

accòmplísh achieve BrE; AmE accómplísh

Accrà

accrûe cf. acróss

acërbic

âche *âke

achìêve

ácmê

acquiésce *ákwì-éss, cf. quiéscent *kwì-éssent, quîet *kwîət

acquîre *aquîre

acquít

âcreage *âkerage

acróss cf. accrûe

áctual *ákchəl

ácûmen cf. áccurate

ácupuncture

ádage

adàgio -jô

ádd more = ád advertisement

Áddis Ábaba

ádditive

addíctive

addréss BrE = a dréss; AmE áddress

adhêre (d and h pronounced separately)

adhêsive (d and h pronounced separately)

ád hóc, two words

ádjective cf. ejécted

adjöurn

adjúst *ajúst

ád nåusêám

adôbê

adrénalín, adrénaline

*adréss addréss

advānce

ádvent

advénture

ádversary -vəsrỳ or advërsary

ádvërt

ádvertise never -îze

advërtísement BrE; AmE ádvertîsement

advîce noun -ss

advîse verb pronounced but never spelt -îze

advîser = advîsor (alternatives)

Aêgêan *Êjêən

ãerial air = Ãriel person

ãerie bird = ãiry light and = variant spellings of bird: ãerie = éyrie = éyry

ãeroplane BrE; AmE ãirplane

Aêschylus BrE; AmE Êschylus *Êeskiləss

aêsthétics AmE ê-

afféct alter cf. efféct result í-

áffect emotion

afféctive emotional cf. efféctive resultant

áffidâvit

áffluent

affrònt cf. effròntery

Afghánistān Áf-gán-; locally often Áf-hán-

Áfghán cf. Áfrican -ən

aficionàdo

afrâid

África

Afrikàans -ànce

Afrikàner

āfter

āfterthŏught -åwt, one word

āfterwards

again, against: both have -én, but for some speakers there is a regular spelling pronunciation: agâin, agâinst

agâpe gaping

ágapê eros

âge cf. édge: Francophones beware

âged as in âged 20 (not *âge 20) pronounced *âyjd; when meaning old, *âyjíd

âgeing, âging, *âjing

âgeist *âjist

âge-ôld hyphenated

agô

ágriculture

àh response ≈ àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust (in the latter cases more a's may be added)

âid help = âide assistant; Âids or ÂIDS disease = âids, âides plurals

Âids or ÂIDS disease = âids, âides plurals

ãir breathe = Ãyr Scotland = ére before = é’er ever = héir estate; AmE ãir = AmE érr, cf. BrE ërr *üh

ãiry light = all four spellings of éyrie = éyry = ãerie = ãery bird, cf. êerie strange

Âix France = âches ache

alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ friend, állêy way

aîsle walking space = îsle island

Ajáccio *Azháxio

Àjax Amsterdam *Àyáx

Âjax person

áka or ákà (can be capitals), acronym of ålso knôwn as

Ál Alan, etc. cf. åll total

Ál Arabic may be hyphenated to following capital-letter word in Arabic name; may also be ál

à là

Alabáma (Á): one m, cf. Montána, Louisiána

Aláddin

Álan (usually a given name) = Állen (usually a surname) = Állan (least common)

alás

Albânia (Á)

Ålbany

Álbert

Albuquërquê *Albəkïrky

Åldwých

âle beer = âil ailing

Álfred

álgaê *áljê or *álgy

álgorithm rhymes with rhýthm

Áli person = álley walk, except Muhámmad Alì *Àh-lêe boxer

âlias *âlius

Álíce

alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ

Álistair = Álastair

âlias

álibî

âlien

alienâtion

alîgned *allîned, cf. állied

alîve

åll every = åwl tool, cf. Ál a name

allegâtions *allogations

allége cf. lédge, etc.

alléged *aléjd

allégedly *aléjidly

allêle

allelûia or allelûja or allelûya

állêy path = Áli person, cf. állŷ

álligâtor

allót assign = a lót much

åll-òut total before noun needs hyphen

allòwed permitted = alòud heard

álloy

åll-stàr is an adjective, so needs hyphen

allûde əl-, cf. elûde, əl- or íl-

allûsion, əl-, cf. illûsion, íl-

állŷ friend cf. állêy, alîgn

allŷ verb, cf. Álì person

ålmanac

àlmond *àhmond

ålmost

àlms gift = BrE àrms body, weapons

alóngside one word

alòud audible = allòwed permitted

Aloýsius *Aləwíshəss

ál-Qàêda; or ál-Qà'êda, but rarely nowadays does one hear an anglophone pronounce the glottal stop between the a and e in the original Arabic pronunciation: the usual British English is *Ál-Kŷda; = ál-Qàìda = ál-Qà'ìda, and the usual American pronunciation is ál-Qâeda

alréady before = åll réady ready

alrîght = åll rîght: the single-word form presumably arose by analogy with alréady and ålways, but it is widely regarded as unacceptable: does it mean all correct, or satisfactory? "Their answers were alright" would appear to be an incorrect rendering of "their answers were all right/all correct", but it may merely mean "their answers were acceptable", and it is this needless ambiguity that gains the one-word version its detractors

Alsâtian

ålso

ålter change = åltar church

álter êgo

*altêrior ultêrior

altërnate adjective

ålternâte verb

altërnative

althôugh *åldhô

alumínium BrE; AmE alûminum

áltruism

alvêolar

ålways ever cf. áll wâys methods, styles

ám be

âm ante meridian *â-ém

ámateur *ámətər; AmE can be amateûr

ambássador cf. émbassy

ámbergrìs BrE; AmE ámbergrís, s pronounced

ambíguous

ambigûity

ambítious *ámbíshəss

amén BrE à, AmE â

amênable

aménd cf. comménd

aménds make = eménds alters

amênity, AmE also aménity

âmìable cf. âim

ámícable

amók cf. amúck, same meaning

amòng

amòunt

an *ən: version of a before a consonant

anáchronism -nákr-

ânal

ánalŷse

análysês plural *ənáləssêez

análysis singular *ənáləssís

ánalýst

ánarchy *ánəkỳ

áncestor

ánchor -nk-

ánchovy -ntsh-

âncient

and *ənd, sometimes ánd for emphasis = &

andántè

Ándês

Andêan

Ándhra Pradésh

ánd ŏr ('and/or') is nowadays spoken and can be sometimes seen without the stroke inbetween

Andórra BrE, AmE -ŏrr-, cf. Pandŏra

Andrómeda

Ándreŵ

anémonê cf. an énemy

ângel *ânjəl, cf. ángle

ánger BrE *áng-gə

angîna *án-jînə

Ánglia

ánglophone

Ánglo-Sáxon

ángry *áng-gry

ángst

Anguílla -gwí-

Anguíllan -gwí-

ánimus cf. ûnánimous

áníse cf. Álíce (minimal pair)

Ánkara

ánnals cf. ánalyst

annéx verb

ánnex or ánnexe noun

annîhilate *annîyílâte

annúl cf. ánnal

anŏint cf. annòunce

anómaly

ánonýmity

anónymous

anòther one word

ānswer, silent w: BrE *ànsə, AmE *ánsr

antágonîse, -ísm, -íst

Antananarìvo *Antána-narìvo

Antàrctica: first c can be silent

ántê- before = BrE ántì against

Ánthony (usual) = Ántony Mark, -tə-

ántì BrE, AmE ántî against = ántê- before

ántidote

Antìgua -gə

antirrhînum *antirŷnum

antisémitism (some prefer 'anti-Semitism', but what, then, is 'Semitism'?)

anxîety *angzîety

ánxious *ángkshəss or *ángshəss

any thing é-, cf. Ánnie person

anybody *énnybódy one word

any mŏre, anymŏre *énny-mŏre: the one-word form is American English

anyone anybody *énnywún, one word; otherwise two: any òne îtem, where òne is a numeral: cf. any thrêe óptions

anyway despite, one word, cf. where wây is a noun: any wây yoû loòk at ít

apâce fast = a pâce step

apàrt from = a pàrt some

apàrtheîd (-tîte)

apéritìf either stressed

aphêlion *áfêlian

âphid

apìêce each one word = a pìêce part

aplénty

apócalypse

apólogîse verb

apólogíes plural noun

apóstasy

apóstrophê

appål; AmE can be appåll

Appalâchia -sh- or -ch-; or Appaláchia -ch- (though Delius pronounced it, and his musical work, Appalàkia)

appålling

apparátchik

ápparâtus BrE either stressed (to children apparatus can sound plural, ‘apperators’); AmE apparátus

appárel

appárent

appêar

appêasement

appêaser

applåuse

approval -prû-

approve -prû-

âpricot

à priŏrî two words

àpriŏrísm one word

apropôs *ápropô

Aquãrius

Áquila

A&R *ayənàr

Árab adjective, person

Arâbian adjective

Árabic language

àrc circle = Àrk Noah = Àrc Joan

àrced arc *àrkt

archâíc *àrkâyíc

archeólogy àrk-

archipélago àrk-

àrchive *àrkîve

Àrctic

àre BrE = àh

Àrês, Ãrês cf. Ãríes both -z

ãrêa space *ãrêə, cf. ària, êra

Argentìna, Àrgentîne, Argentínian = Argentínean Àrj-

àrgil clay, soft g

Argŷll Scotland = Argŷle elsewhere, hard g

àrgue

àrgument

ària opera cf. ãrea space

árid

Ãríes -ríz

árístocrat BrE á stressed, AmE í stressed

aristocrátic

Àrk Noah = àrc circle = Àrc Joan

Àrkansas BrE -såw, AmE -sà

arrést

arrhythmic

àrsenal *àrssnəl

àrson

arrhýthmic

àrtefact

artêsian well *àrtêzhən

artifícial -shəl

artisán art *àrtizán

àrtist art

artìste stage

ascént climb = assént agree

ascertâin

ÁSEAN or Ásean association *Ássián, cf. Âsian Asia, *Âyzhən

Áshlêy = Áshlêigh

Âsia *Âsha or *Âzha

askānce

áspartâme or aspàrtâme

Ásperger's

ásphalt

asphýxiate

áspirin medicine -spr-, cf. aspîring aspire

assássin has four s’s

assént agree = ascént climb

asséss

ássét

assîgn *assîne

assignâtion, g sounded

assuâge rhymes with wâge

assûme -syûme

assûre AmE -shûre, BrE –shůre

ásterisk

Ásterix

ásthma *ássma

asúnder

as wéll two words

asŷlum

âte AmE; BrE *ét

âthêíst cf. aesthétic

at lêast two words

átóll

atrôcious -shəss

atrócity

áttaboy one word

attáchè -áshè

attörney

Åuckland

auctionêer åuk-

augúst revered

Åugust month

Àùng Sán Sûu Kyìi *Òwng Sán Sû Chêe

āunt uncle AmE = ánt insect

au fâit *ô-fây

au fónd *ô-fón, French nasal -ón

au pãir, ôp-

åural ear = ŏral mouth, though the first may be pronounced àùral to distinguish it

Aus Australia = Óz Wizard

Àùschwitz *Òwshvíts

åuspices

Aussie Australasian -z- = Óssy = Óssie persons

Austen Jane = Austin car, Texas Ó-

Austrâlia Ó-

Austria Ó-

åutarchy sovereignty = åutarky self-sufficiency

authóritative BrE; AmE authŏritâtive

authórity

àùtobàhn

åutomobìle

åutumn silent n

autúmnal, n sounded

ávalānche

ávant gàrde (gàrde = guàrd) two words

avocàdo

avoirdupŏis *ávədə-pŏiz

åwe

awêigh anchors = awây go

åwful

åwkward *åwquəd

åwl tool = åll total

ÂWOL

awrŷ

áxe chop BrE; AmE áx (the plurals of áxe/áx and áxis have the same spelling, but different pronunciations, as follows)

áxes axe -íz

áxês axis -êz, cf. áccess

áxis spin -íss

áxle car = Áxel person

Áxminster

aŷe yes = eŷe see = Î me

Aŷn Ránd

Ãyr Scotland = ãir breathe

Ãyrshire

Azerbaijàn Ázerbaî-jàn

Azéri

ázure -zh-