How to Pronounce Motley

To pronounce "motley", say MOTL-ey — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈmɒtli/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

motley

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

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2

Syllables

6

Letters

/ˈmɒtli/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “motley”

"motley" has 2 syllables: motl-ey. It rhymes with hotly and tautly, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: mottley — easy to mix up when writing.

What does motley mean?

noun

  1. An incongruous mixture.
  2. A jester's multicoloured clothes.

adjective

  1. Comprising greatly varied elements, to the point of incongruity; heterogeneous.
  2. Having many colours; variegated.

Synonyms

diversemanifoldcolorfulprismaticvariegated

Hear “motley” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with motley

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

hotlytautlysquatlymottleyottleywatley

Related words

assortedmiscellaneousmiscellanymiscellaneapotpourriheterogeneousmixturevariety

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "motley"?▾

"Motley" has 2 syllables: motl · ey.

What is the IPA transcription of "motley"?▾

The IPA transcription of "motley" is /ˈmɒtli/.

What does "motley" mean?▾

Motley: An incongruous mixture.

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