To pronounce "punctilious", say PUNCT-il-ious — 3 syllables, IPA /pʌŋkˈtɪli.əs/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.
punctilious
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3
Syllables
11
Letters
/pʌŋkˈtɪli.əs/
IPA
"punctilious" has 3 syllables: punct-il-ious. It rhymes with supercilious and bilious, if that helps it stick.
adjective
“With a punctilious slap of the gloves, the duel was now inevitable.”
Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.
Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.
"Punctilious" has 3 syllables: punct · il · ious.
The IPA transcription of "punctilious" is /pʌŋkˈtɪli.əs/.
Punctilious: Strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.
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