How Many Syllables In Nicotine?
3syllables
Nicotine has 3 syllables, nic-o-tine. It is a trisyllabic word.
nicotine
/ˈnɪk.ə.tiːn/ UK /ˈnɪk.ə.t̬iːn/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, nic.
Syllable Structure
CVC/V/CVC
Division By Sound
/nɪk.ə.tiːn/
Division By Letters
nic-o-tine
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Nicotine
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 primary stress | n | ɪ | k | CVC | closed |
| 2 | – | ə | – | V | open |
| 3 | t | iː | n | CVC | closed |
Why Nicotine Divides Here
- Syllable 1 is stressed and has the short vowel /ɪ/, so it keeps a coda /k/.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /t/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in nicotine?
Nicotine has 3 syllables, nic-o-tine. In British English it is transcribed /ˈnɪk.ə.tiːn/.
Which syllable is stressed in nicotine?
The first syllable, nic, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of nicotine?
Nicotine has the structure CVC/V/CVC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide nicotine into syllables?
By sound, nɪk.ə.tiːn. By letters, as a spelling guide, nic-o-tine.