How to Pronounce “incipient”

American (US)

/ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/

British (UK)

/ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/

adjective — In an initial stage; beginning, starting, coming into existence.

Example: After 500 years, incipient towns appeared.

Where the stress falls. “incipient” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "incipient" mean?

incipient (adjective): In an initial stage; beginning, starting, coming into existence. For example — After 500 years, incipient towns appeared.

How do you pronounce "incipient" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "incipient", /ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "incipient"?

/ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/ in American English, /ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "incipient"?

“incipient” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.