How to Pronounce Curtail

To pronounce "curtail", say CURT-ail — 2 syllables, IPA /kɜːˈteɪl/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

curtail

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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Syllables

Letters

/kɜːˈteɪl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “curtail”

"curtail" has 2 syllables: curt-ail. It rhymes with wail and gale, if that helps it stick.

What does curtail mean?

noun

A scroll termination, as of a step, etc.

verb

To cut short the tail of an animal
“Curtailing horses procured long horse-hair.”
To shorten or abridge the duration of something; to truncate.
“When the audience grew restless, the speaker curtailed her speech.”

Synonyms

crop dock behedge control limit restrain abbreviate shorten

Words that rhyme with curtail

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

wail gale avail frail assail travail prevail entail stale unveil ail bale

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "curtail"?▾

"Curtail" has 2 syllables: curt · ail.

What is the IPA transcription of "curtail"?▾

The IPA transcription of "curtail" is /kɜːˈteɪl/.

What does "curtail" mean?▾

Curtail: A scroll termination, as of a step, etc.

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