Antepenuit

/ˌæntɪpɪˈnuːɪt/ noun

Definition

The third syllable from the end of a word; also called the antepenultimate syllable.

Etymology

From Latin 'ante' (before) + 'penultima' (the next-to-last), meaning literally 'before the penultimate' or 'before the second-to-last.'

Kelly Says

Linguists use antepenuit to analyze stress patterns—in English words like 'MEDical' and 'RELative,' the stress often falls on the antepenuit, which is why these words sound different from their noun forms.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.