Main Entry: ¹syl·lab·ic

Pronunciation: \sə-ˈla-bik\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Late Latin syllabicus, from Greek syllabikos, from syllabē syllable

Date: 1728

1 : constituting a syllable or the nucleus of a syllable: a : not accompanied in the same syllable by a vowel <a syllabic consonant> b : having vowel quality more prominent than that of another vowel in the syllable <the first vowel of a falling diphthong, as \ȯ\ in \ȯi\, is syllabic>
2 : of, relating to, or denoting syllables <syllabic accent>
3 : characterized by distinct enunciation or separation of syllables
4 : of, relating to, or constituting a type of verse distinguished primarily by count of syllables rather than by rhythmical arrangement of accents or quantities

— syl·lab·i·cal·ly \-bi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb