Syllable

This article discusses the unit of speech. For the computer operating system, see Syllable (operating system).

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A syllable (Ancient Greek: ) is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. It is typically made up of a syllable nucleus (most often a vowel) with optional initial and final margins (typically, consonants).

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Syllables are often considered the phonological "building blocks" of words. They can influence the rhythm of a language, its prosody, its poetic meter, its stress patterns, etc.

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A word that consists of a single syllable (like English cat) is called a monosyllable (such a word is monosyllabic), while a word consisting of two syllables (like monkey) is called a disyllable (such a word is disyllabic).

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Ancient Greek: Ancient Greek refers to the stage in the history of the Greek language corresponding to Classical Antiquity, which normally applies on two ancient periods of Greek history: Archaic and Classic Greece. The Ancient era of Greek history normally includes also the Hellenistic (post-Classic) age, however...

Speech: One might be looking for the academic discipline of communications....

Syllable nucleus: In phonetics and phonology, the nucleus (sometimes called peak) is the central part of the syllable, mostly commonly a vowel. In addition to a nucleus, a syllable may begin with an onset and end with a coda, but the only part of a syllable that is mandatory is the nucleus. The nucleus and coda form...