English spellings/Catalogs/S

S *éss

sác biology = sáck coal

sáccharine sácə-

sáchet bag = sáshay walk

'''sácrament

sâcred -ríd or -rəd

sacrilegious -íjəss, from sácrilege, cf. relígious, which rhymes

Sádr city = sádder ''sad

sagácity

Sagittãrius Sáj-

saguàro *səgwàro, *səwàro, *səhwàro

said say *séd, cf. pâid, lâid etc., sád ''unhappy

Sàìd Port, person = either Sàêed person or sîde lateral (Pŏrt Sàìd Egypt, second word stressed, cf. pŏrt sîde ship's left, first word stressed)

sâil = '''sâle

sâke for

sàkè drink

sâle sell = Sâle England = sâil boat

'''Sålford

Sålisbury *Sålzbry

'''sálivate

'''salîva

sálmon *sámmon

'''Sálomè

sálon BrE; AmE '''salón

Salvadǒrean, Salvadǒrian

'''Samôa

Sámùel -myùl

'''sanctimônious

sándal rhymes with '''cándle

'''Sandinístas

sang-froid *sàng-fwà

sanitŏriumor '''sanatŏrium

San Josè (can be written with Spanish accent San José) *Sán Hô-zè

'''sáns

Sánskrit cf. '''scrîbe

sápphire stone = Sáfire ''person

Sàra usually

Sãrah usually

'''Saràwak

sàrcasm -zəm

'''sarcástic

'''Saskátchewan

sátellite - double l, single '''t

'''Sâtan

'''sâte

'''sátín

sátîre cf. '''sátyr

Sátürn or, BrE, -tən

sátyr *sátter

Sàùdì Arâbia *Sòwdy

sàùerkràùt *sòurcròut

'''sàùna

sávoir-fãire *sávwar-fãir

sávvy

såw see, wood, saying = BrE sŏre pain = BrE sŏar up; French speakers should beware a tendency to make it sound like '''sô

sáx saxophone = Sáchs person

says *séz

* Sâyshells '''Seychélles

sáy-sô noun one word

'''scáffolding

'''scámp

scámpì *scámpy

scándal *scándle, rhyming with '''cándle

'''scàr

'''scárab

'''scãre

'''scãrce

scàrf neck = Scàrfe person

scàrlet colour = Scàrlett ''person

sce- se-

'''scenàrio

scêne vista = sêen see, making minimal pairs with sîgn = sîne

scént smell = cént money = sént send

scéptic BrE, but pronounced as AmE '''sképtic

schàdenfreude *shàdənfrŏyd(ə)

schédule BrE shé-, AmE ské-

Scheherazàde Sh-

schêma *skêemə

schemàta *skêem-àtə

schême *skêem

schérzo *skãirtso

schísm *skízm

schíst *shíst

schízoid *skítsoid

schizophrênia *skítsəfrìnia

schizophrénic *skítsəfrénnic

schnítzel shn-

schoôl *skoôl

schoôlboy, schoôlgirl, schoôlchildren, each one word

schoôner skoô-

schtùm sht-

schwà sh-

sciática sî-

scientífic sîən-

Scílly Isles = sílly foolish

scíssors - ss as z

scóne cf. góne, dòne, '''cône

scöreboard one word

Scót Scotland = Scótt ''person

* scóugh: '''scóff

'''scòur

'''scöurge

'''scráp

'''scrâpe

'''scrâped

'''scrápped

'''scrêam

'''scrêen

'''scríbble

scúll oar = skúll head

'''scúllery

'''scúttle

'''scŷthe

sêa water = sêe vision

sêal shut, animal

sêaling = cêiling floor

Seâmus *Shâmus

Seån person = Shåun = BrE shŏrn shear

'''Sëarle

Seáttle cf. beátify, both êá

secêde cf. procêed, precêde, succêed, '''supersêde

secónd BrE ''military

sécond other meanings

'''sêcrecy

'''sêcret

'''sectãrian

sedán cf. '''Sudàn

sédentary cf. said, *séd

'''sèder

sêed plant = cêde yield

sêem appear = sêam coal, thread

sêen = scêne, making minimal pairs with sîgn = sîne

sêer *sêe-er

'''segregâtion

sèguè *sâygwây, or = '''Ségway

Sèine river = sâne insane, or *Sén, French version having a long é sound

seîsmic sîz-

seismólogist sîz-

sêize grab *sêez, *siêze = sêes see, cf. cêase stop, sîze big, síeve filter

sélf-hélp, -defénce, -évident, etc.

séll buy = céll ''prison, biology

séll-bŷ dâte (not 'sell buy date')

séllotape, cf. '''céllophane

sémblance cf. '''resemble

sêmen sperm = sêaman sailor = sêamen ''sailors

sémi one word where it is an abbreviated form of phrases like sémi-fînal and sémi-detáched, otherwise must be hyphenated to following word

'''Senegål

sénsor feel = cénsor ''censorship

'''séntence

Seôul Korea = sôle only, shoe = sôul ''spirit

séparate adjective, séparâte verb not -per-, cf. a in pãir, e in '''désperate

séparately

séptic infected cf. BrE scéptic = AmE sképtic ''doubter

sépulchre *sépulker

sërf peasant = sürf ''sea

sergeant *sàrjent = Sergeant = Sàrgent persons = serjeant -at-àrms

sêrial TV = cêreal ''breakfast

sêries *sêríz

sêrious cf. Sýria, '''Sírius

sërmon church = Sürman John

sërve cf. sürvèy noun, *sërvây; survèy ''verb

sërvíce *sërvíss, cf. sürface, -físs, minimal pair, only one sound different

'''sesquipedâlian

sétback noun one word

sétt badger = sét ''non-badger

Sèumas Shây-

séver ''cut

sevêre ''tough

sévered ''sever

Sévern river BrE = séven ''number

sew thread = sô thus = sôw seed, cf. sòw ''pig

seŵer ''pipe

sewer sew = sôwer ''seed

séxìêst -ìyíst ''most

séxíst sexism

'''sextét

Seychélles *Sây shélls

'''shâde

'''shádow

Shâkespêare cf. shâke and '''spêar

'''shâky

'''shallót

'''shâman

'''shâme

* Shâmus '''Seâmus

'''shàrd

shãre divide makes a minimal pair with chãir ''seat

shãreholder one word

'''Sharìa

shêar cut = shêer ''absolute

shéd ''noun and verb

* shédule '''schédule

shèikh Arabia - kh sound, or = shâke ''rattle

'''Shêila

shéllfish cf. '''sélfish

shenánigans - no double letters

shépherd *shépperd = Shépherd = Shéphard = Shépheard ''persons

'''shërd

shériff *shérrif

shh: any number of further h’s can be added

Shìa can sound like BrE '''shêer

'''shíbboleth

shín = first part of Sínn Fèin (Sinn Féin)

'''Shïrley

Shìîte: no apostrophe or hyphen

shoe foot = shoô away, as in '''shoô-ín

'''shóne

shoô-in noun one word; *shoe-ín

shoôt bang = chûte ''fall

shôre sea BrE = Shåw person and often = sûre ''certain

shŏrn shear BrE = Shåun, Seån ''persons

shŏrtcoming one word

shŏrtlist finalists cf. a shŏrt líst ''not long

'''Shostakôvich

shoùld *shoòd, rhyming with goòd

shôulder rhymes with '''côlder

shôwbiz one word

shôwcase one word, cf. '''bàsket câse

'''shrápnel

Shreŵsbury *Shroôzbry or, more commonly, *Shrôzbry

Shrì alternative spelling of Srì - but not in '''Srì Lánka

'''shrúg

'''shŷ

'''shŷlỳ

Siàn *Shàn, cf. Shåwn = Shåun = Seån

Sibêria - Sî-

'''síbling

síbyllîne - y as schwa

Sícily island = Cícely ''person

'''sidêreal

sìêge cf. '''sêize

síeve *sív, cf. '''sêize

Sìerra Leône, Leônean; also *Sì-érra

sîgh breath = Cŷ person = psî ''Greek

sîghed sigh = sîde ''beside

sîght see = sîte place = cîte ''quote

sîgn signal = sîne mathematics, making minimal pairs with scêne = sêen (*sîn, *sên)

sígnal, g pronounced

sígnature, g pronounced

sîgnpost *sînepôst

Sìkh religion = sêek find

sílly foolish = Scílly Islands

símilê cf. símilar, '''smîle

'''Sîmon

simultâneous BrE sí-, AmE sî-

Sînaî

'''Sinàtra

sîne = sîgn

'''síneŵ

síng song = Síngh ''person

'''Singapŏre

'''Singapŏrean

síngeing singe -njing, cf. sínging sing, ng sound (twice)

sínger: síng + -er, cf. '''síngeing

'''singlemîndedly

Sínn Fèin *Shín Fâin (Irish: Sinn Féin)

Siobhån, with many variant spellings, *Shivåwn

sîphon or '''sŷphon

sïr - but Sir before a man’s name is not stressed and has the schwa sound: *Sə(r) '''Jóhn Fålstaff

Sïrte = cërt

sîte place = cîte ''quote

sîting ''site

sítting ''sit

situâtion - sí-, cf. citâtion, cî-

sîze cf. '''sêize

sîzeable or '''sîzable

sîzem- seîsmic, seismólogy, etc.

skéleton bones, cf. '''Skélton

skì snow, cf. skŷ ''above

skìed, skìer ''ski

skîed, skîer ''sky

'''skìíng

'''skïrmish

'''skïrt

'''skîve

skuldúggery, skulldúggery

skúll head = scúll ''oar

skúll-cap hyphenated

skŷscrâper one word

slág cf. '''Glénda Slágg

slây kill = slèigh ''snow

slêaze cf. plêase, which rhymes, and grêase greasy = Grêece ''Greek

slêeve cf. '''lêave

slêek rhymes with '''chìc

sleîght-of-hand: some say '''slâte

'''sleûth

'''sleŵ

slîght little, slur = sleîght''-of-hand

* slîly (though drîly is an alternative form of drŷly)

slípshod no hyphen

'''slôth

slòugh swamp, despond *slòu = Slòugh town, cf. slôw ''fast

sloúgh skin *slúff, as in sloúgh óff

'''Slôvák

Slovákia BrE; AmE '''Slovàkia

slôw fast = slôe ''blackthorn

'''slúg

'''slür

'''slŷ

'''slŷlỳ

smållpox one word

smélt smell, metal, fish

smídgen or smídgin cf. '''pídgin

smôkescreen one word

Smŷth = Smŷthe, voiced th, cf. Smíth = smíth, unvoiced th

'''snêeze

'''snóbbery

snoô- - all such words have this sound

snoôty cf. '''soòty

'''snoôze

snôwmobìle cf. '''môbîle

'''snôwstorm

sŏar up = sŏre ''hurt

sôber cf. BrE sómbre AmE '''sómber

sóbriquèt *sóbrikây

sóccer *sócker

sôcial sôsh-

'''sôcialism

sociólogy sôsh-

'''sociológical

sóck cf. '''sóccer

sóckpuppet is usually one word

Sófia Bulgaria cf. Sôphia ''person

sóften *sóffen

'''sóftwãre

sólace *sóllis, cf. '''Hóllis

sôldier *sôljer, cf. cŏrdial, as spelt

sôle only, fish = sôul spirit = Seôul ''Korea

'''sôlely

sólemn *sóllum

solémnity, n sounded

'''sólipsism

solitãire patience cf. sólitary ''alone

'''sôlo

Sólomon - all o’s

sómbre BrE; AmE sómber; cf. '''sôber

sòme any = súm ''total

sòmeday future one word

sòmehòw one word

sòmeone *súmwún, one word

sòmersåult cf. '''súmmer

Sòmerville cf. '''súmmer

sòmething cf. '''sòme thíngs

sòmetime adjective, adverb (the sòmetime gòvernor, Î'll do ít sòmetime), otherwise two words (at sòme tîme)

sòmeẁhat one word

'''sônàr

sóngwrîter one word

Sóny or '''Sôny

'''soôn

sôooo (as much ...ooooo as is desired) used for humourous effect to show a lengthened sô (as in soooooooooooooooo fúnny, meant ironically), though it looks as if it would be pronounced like sûe/Sûe (*soô)

'''soòt

'''soôthe

sŏre pain = sŏar rise, BrE = såw ''see

'''sortiê

sótto vôcè *sótto vôchâi, may be italicised

sŏught seek BrE = sŏrt type

sôul spirit = sôle only, fish = Seôul Korea

sòundbite one word

soûpçon *soûpsón

sŏurce origin BrE = såuce seasoning

Soûsa (though the original Portuguese name has a sound more like ô)

soûsaphone sûza-

sòuth unvoiced th, *sòwth; compound forms may be one word or hyphenated, but not two words: southêast or sòuth-êast, southwést or sòuth-wést

soúthern voiced th, *súdhern

Soúthwark voiced th, *Súdhək

soûvenìr *sûvenêer

sóvereign *sóvrin

sóvereignty *sóvrənty

Sóviet seems to be the more common post-Sôviet pronunciation; -ìət

sôw seed = sô therefore = sew cloth, cf. '''sòw

sòw pig

Sowétô, from Sòuth-Wést(ern) '''Tòwnships

sŏya bean = Såwyer person = såwyer saw

spà town BrE = spàr fight

spâte flood, many = Spêight ''person

'''spây

spâceship one word

'''Spániard

'''Spánish

'''Spâin

spêak cf. '''spêech

spécial *spéshle

spêcíes *spêeshiz

'''spécimen

spéctre BrE; AmE spécter = Spéctor person

spêech cf. '''spêak

Spéncer usual = Spénser poet

spìêl *shpêel

spíllage -íj

spínach *spínij, *spínnage, cf. '''spíllage

'''spîral

spôkesperson one word

spótlîght -lîte, one word

'''sprêe

sprîghtly *sprîtely

* sprîly (though drîly is an alternative form of drŷly)

'''sprîte

'''sprŷ

'''sprŷly

'''spŷ

'''sqùander

sqùalour BrE; AmE '''squàlor

'''squåwk

'''squêak

'''squêal

'''squêamish

'''squïrt

Srébrenice *Srébrənítzə

Srì Lánka can be pronounced, but not spelt, Shr-

St. or St *Sənt: abbreviation of Sâint before a name as in St. Màrk; St Jóhn as a secular and/or personal name may be *Sínjən

'''stâbilise

stâble ''stability, horse

stâgefright *stâjefrîte, one word

stâid old-fashioned = stâyed ''stay

stâin mark = Stèyn person, cf. Steîn

stãir up = stãre look cf. '''stàr

stâke bet, wooden = steâk ''meat

'''ståll

'''stålwart

stànch ''flow

'''Stánsted Ãirport

stàr sky, film = Stàrr

stãre look = stãir ''climb

stãred, stãring ''stare

stàrred, stàrring ''star

stâteside one word

stâtionary motionless = stâtionery ''paper

'''stâtist

'''statístics

státistícian -shn

'''státutory

ståunch ''support

'''stây

stâyed stay = stâid ''old-fashioned

stéad cf. stéady, '''stêed

steâk meat = stâke bet, wooden, cf. strêak ''line

stêal thieve = stêel ''metal

'''stéalth

'''sténch

stép walk = stéppe ''plain

stépfàther, stépmòther, etc., each one word

Stéphanie, Stéf-, and not usually with a second 'e', unlike...

Stêphen = Stêven, both pronounced -v-

'''stérilise

stërling currency = Stïrling Scotland = Stërling, Stïrling ''persons

'''steŵard

Steŵart person = Stûart person: one is more likely to meet a Stûart Steŵart than the 	reverse

'''stíck

'''stîfle

'''stígma

'''stíll

'''stíng

stíngy -njy

'''stínk

'''stîpend

Stïrling see '''stërling

'''stítch

St. Jóhn in most cases *Sənt Jón, in a few *Sín Jən

St. Lûcia *Sənt Lûshə

St. Morítz *Sán Mərítts

stôíc -k

stôícism -s-

'''stôny

stópôver ''noun, adjective

stŏre shop = Stŏrr ''person

stŏrey BrE floor = stŏry ''tale, AmE floor

'''stŏry-télling

'''Stŏrmont

'''St. Pêtersburg

strâight direct = strâit ''narrow

strâight awây two words

straightfŏrward adjective one word, no hyphen

strâight-lâced or '''strâit-lâced

'''strâitjacket

strâits ''dire, Dire Straits

'''Stranràer

Strásböurg, Strásbŏurg Stráz-

stràta BrE; AmE strâta = BrE '''strâighter

'''strátegem

'''stratêgic

'''strátegist

'''strátegy

stràtum AmE '''strâtum

stråw mán two words

strêamlined one word

Stréatham London = Strétham Cambridgeshire *Strétəm

'''strénuous

streŵ

streŵed

streŵn

'''strîve

'''stríven

'''strômuhr

'''strôve

strýchnìne *strícknêen

Stûart person = Steŵart person - the Scottish royals were Stûarts but Stûart is more common as a given name, Steŵart more as a family name

'''stúbborn

'''stúcco

'''stûdent

'''stúdy

'''stûpid

stûpor *stûper, *stûpour

stŷ pig = stŷ or stŷe ''eye

stŷle mode = stîle ''field

stŷmie cf. '''slîmy

Stýx river = stícks ''stick

suàve swà-

súb can be a word in its own right, but only as an abbreviation (itself a súbstitute), meaning for example sub-édit, sub-éditor, submarìne, or indeed substitûte; far more often though it is attached to the following word, with or without a hyphen; and there is also the Latin legal expression súb jûdicê

'''súbfúsc

'''súbjugate

'''submarìne

'''submáriner

'''submít

'''subŏrn

subpoêna BrE; AmE -pê-

'''subsîdence

'''súbsídy

substántial -shəl

'''súbtitle

súbtle = Súttle person, cf. súpple

succêed -x-

succéss -x-

succínct -x-

súccour help = súcker ''fool

succúmb -úm

súch so = Sútch ''person

Sudān cf. '''sedán

sûe law = Sûe Susan = Sioûx American; cf. diminutives Sûsie, Sûzy, etc. = Sioûxsie Banshees; words beginning soô- and soû- also have this sound

suède material = swâyed ''sway

Sûez *Soôwíz

'''suffîce

'''súffocâte

Súffolk -fək

súffrage cf. '''súffer

sùgar shù-

'''suicîdal

sûing *sûeing

sûit wear, cards *sût - or *syût (more common in inflected versions such as unsûitable), cf. soòt ''black

suìte rooms, music = swêet ''confection

súlphur BrE; AmE '''súlfur

súm arithmetic = sòme ''others

súmmary summarise = súmmery ''summer

sún star = sòn ''offspring * sunàmi '''tsunàmi

súndae ice-cream = Súnday ''day

súnglasses one word

Sùnni Muslim cf. súnny weather; some AmE speakers say Sûnni *Soôny

súnny sun = sònny ''son

sûper cf. '''súpper

sûper-rích: hyphen avoids apparent ‘supérrich’

'''supercílious

'''supërfluous

'''superflûity

sûpermarket one word

sûpermodel one word

supersêde cf. precêde, '''intercêde

'''súpper

súpple *súpəl, rhyming with coúple, cf. súbtle, *sútəl

súpplement -pləmənt

supplŷ provide

súpplỳ supple

suppréss -pp-

sûre AmE *shûre; BrE sůre rhyming with '''Shåw

sûrety AmE *shûre, BrE *shůrety

sürf sea = sërf peasant

sürface -físs, cf. sërvíce, minimal pair, only one sound different

Surinám or -'''náme

'''surmòunt

surrêalism, cf. '''sêrialism

súrrogacy, -'''gate

sürplíce clergy ≈ sürplus extra

surprîse -rpr-; not -ize

survèillance -ll-

sürvèy noun

survèy verb

Sûsan -z-, cf. Suzánne, etc.

'''suscéptible

suspéct ''verb

súspect ''person

suspénse AmE and BrE; but see retroalphabetical list for -ence and -ense

'''sustâin

'''sústenance

súttee cf. soòty (minimal pair)

'''svélte

sẁallow ''throat, bird

'''sẁamp

sẁan bird = Sẁann ''person

Sẁansea *Swónzy

sẁansong

sẁap = swóp, a chiefly British variant

'''swårthy

sẁastika, some AmE '''swastìka

sẁat fly = swót exam = Swàt ''Valley

swâth large area or quantity, the irregular but now normal spelling of the vogue word swâthe (voiced th: *swâydh), no doubt influenced by the identical...

sẁath ridge *swóth (unvoiced th)

'''swéar

swéat ''perspire

swêde vegetable = Swêde Sweden, cf. suède = '''swâyed

swêet eat = suìte ''music, hote

'''swêetheàrt

swêetshop one word

sweêt-talk verb hyphenated

Swíthin or '''Swíthun

swŏrd blade *sŏrd, cf. swård turf, swŏre, swŏrn swear, w pronounced in all three swóp, a chiefly British variant, = sẁap

swót exam = sẁat fly = Swàt ''Valley

sý- apart from the variant spelling of sîphon, sŷphon, and '''Sŷracûse

sybarític cf. '''síbyllîne

'''sýcamore

* sych- no words begin like this

'''sýcophánt

Sýdney Australia, person = Sídney ''person

'''Sylhét

'''sýllable

'''sýllabus

'''sýlph

symbiótic

sýmbol sign = cýmbal ''percussion

'''sýmmetry

'''symmétrical

sýmptom cf. '''Símpson

sýnagogue -'''góg

sýnc, sýnch synchronisation = sínk ''lower, wash

sýnched, sýnch'd, sýnc'd: past forms of preceding-as-verb

'''sýndrome

synécdochê -kê

'''sýnod

Sýracuse America, Sŷracuse ''Italy

sŷphon or '''sîphon

Sýria makes a minimal pair with '''Sírius

'''syrínge

Sýriza

'''sýrup

'''sýsóp

'''sýstem

systemátic

'''systémic