English spellings/Catalogs/Retro E

final e is mostly silent; for words often italicised and ending in written -é see French words in English: e

from Latin, from Greek -αι (though in most cases AmE has only -ê) '''aê

(some Korean names also have -âe finally) * réggay '''réggâe

'''nébulaê

'''fŏrmulaê

'''anténnaê

'''nôvaê

'''scrîbe

'''descrîbe

medicine prescrîbe ≈ illegal '''proscrîbe

zé- '''xénophobe

'''lôbe

'''fâce

* préffis '''préface

* ménnis '''ménace

Ẁallis = '''Ẁallace

* Hórris, rhyming with words in -óris - '''Hórace

* térris '''térrace

'''îce

'''sácrifîce

órifíce BrE; AmE '''ǒrifíce

'''sürplíce

'''nîce

'''Véníce

'''cŏrníce

'''chŏice

'''vŏice

'''hóspíce

'''thrîce

'''caprìce

'''trîce

'''pôultíce

'''láttíce

BrE verb práctíse = noun, AmE verb  '''práctíce

'''nôtíce

'''devîce

'''crévíce

'''véngeance

sometimes written as in French séance - '''sèànce

'''chānce

'''lānce

'''survèillance

'''vígilance

'''románce

'''perfŏrmance

noun = verb either stressed '''fînánce

'''híndrance

'''forbéarance

enter '''éntrance

beguile '''entrānce

cf. exístence - '''stānce

cf. exístence - '''resístance

AmE lîcense, cf. BrE and AmE suspénse - '''lîcence

* ákwêeyéssənss; cf. présence, -zənss - '''acquiéscence

'''câdence

'''décadence

'''transcéndence

'''subsîdence

'''évidence

'''próvidence

'''correspóndence

cf. dénse - '''fénce

AmE defénse - '''defénce

AmE offénse - '''offénce

'''hénce

'''scîence

-shənss '''cónscience

'''åudience

-âshence '''impâtience

cf. prevâil - '''prévalence

'''vîolence

'''përmanence

'''adhêrence

'''occúrrence

'''rêcúrrence

'''ábsence

'''cómpetence

'''séntence

'''insístence

cf. stānce - '''exístence

'''ínfluence

mint mínts ≈ meat '''mínce

print prínts ≈ royal '''prínce

'''fìêrce

'''pìêrce

'''coërce

'''enfŏrce

-êí- '''reinfŏrce

'''divŏrce

verbs -'''ésce

-éss '''acquiésce

.*côwaléss '''coalésce

-éss '''effervésce

BrE -dyoôss or -joôss, AmE doôss -'''dûce

'''redûce

'''indûce

verb '''prodûce

noun '''próduce

'''Jŏyce

'''fâde

'''shâde

'''jâde

'''glâde

woman mâid = make '''mâde

'''grenâde

sh-; AmE charâde, BrE '''charàde

'''parâde

'''concêde

'''intercêde

'''supersêde

stressed in verbs, unstressed in nouns, but always pronounced -'''îde

'''régicide

'''sûicide

'''cŷanide

'''derîde

'''asîde

'''besîde

* rizîde '''resîde

one word '''úpside

one word '''dòwnside

'''provîde

'''óxide

in some names -'''forde

íl- '''elûde

əl- '''allûde

'''lóngitude

'''látitude

'''áttitude

insect '''bêe

'''divorcêe

'''fêe

'''cóffee

'''banóffee

'''tóffee

'''Yánkee

'''glêe

'''detainêe

'''referêe

as a suffix meaning without, -frêe should be at least hyphenated, never a separate word: '''cãrefrêe and commítment-frêe

'''degrêe

'''pédigree

'''sêe

* lîcencêe '''licensêe

cf. députy - '''devotêe

'''payêe

-êe has main stress when in contrast to emplŏyer - '''emplŏyêe

'''gáffe

'''lîfe

* nîfe '''knîfe

'''wîfe

'''âge

mostly -íj -'''age

-íj '''cábbage

-íj '''bándage

* hémərij '''haémorrhage

* fôlìíj '''fôlìage

* cárríj '''cárriage

* márríj '''márriage

-àzh '''fûselage

-àzh '''cámouflage

-íj '''víllage

-àzh '''cóllage

-íj '''dámage

-íj '''mánage

-àzh '''bádinage

BrE *gáràj; *gáríj is regarded by many as uneducated; AmE *gəràzh '''gáràge

-íj '''áverage

person Béveridge = -íj drink '''béverage

-íj '''lêverage

-àzh '''míràge

-íj '''stŏrage

BrE *báràj, AmE *bəràzh '''bárràge

'''sâge

BrE *məssàj, AmE *məssàzh '''mássàge

-íj '''méssage

-àzh '''dréssàge

-íj '''ûsage

-àzh '''sábotàge

-íj '''cóttage

-íj '''wâstage

-íj '''hóstage

-íj '''lánguage

-íj '''sávage

'''bádge

'''édge

'''plédge

'''slédge

-íj '''knówledge

'''mídge

'''rídge

'''brídge

'''pórridge

'''dódge

'''stódge

'''fúdge

'''sácrilege

'''prívilege

cf. édge - '''allége

'''oblîge

-êezh '''prestìge

-íj '''véstíge

'''chânge

'''whínge

'''lòunge

'''scròunge

'''Dôge

'''bàrge

'''làrge

'''dïrge

'''fŏrge

'''ürge

'''scöurge

'''pürge

'''sürge

* âke '''âche

BrE *məstàsh, AmE *mústásh '''moustāche

-kê '''synécdochê

cf. trôphy, átrophy - '''catástrophê

'''apóstrophê

* dhə before consonants, *dhê before vowels: '''thê

cf. noun bréath, unvoiced th - verb '''brêathe

cf. noun wrêath, unvoiced th - verb '''wrêathe

cf. noun clóth - lôathe rhymes with '''clôthe

colour dŷe = death  '''dîe

'''bïrdìê

Chàrly = '''Chàrlie

surname Wílley = Wílly  = '''Wíllie

'''Cónnie

'''Lónnie

'''Rónnie

'''pîe

soft g - '''menágerìê

'''côterìê

'''cálorìê

'''éyrìê

'''bâke

'''câke

'''Jâke

cf. bláck, Bláck - '''Blâke

'''mâke

'''snâke

'''sâke

'''tâke

eat steâk = hold '''stâke

'''mistâke

'''lîke

'''chîldlîke

'''gódlîke

'''wårlîke

'''cátlîke

'''pîke

'''chôke

'''brôke

broòk rhymes with '''Ládbroke

broòk rhymes with '''Bólingbroke

'''evôke

'''provôke

'''wôke

'''rebûke

'''dûke

cf. noun, adjective fînal - noun '''finàlê

cf. adjective rátional - noun '''rationàle

cf. Âbel, Bâbel, 'lâbel, Mâbel - '''âble

'''impertürbable

'''applícable

dis- '''despícable

an e may be retained before -able to show either the pronunciation of the preceding consonant or the long sound of the preceding vowel -'''eable

-nsəble '''pronòunceable

-jəble '''mánageable

-jəble '''chângeable

-kəble unshâkable or '''unshâkeable

-ləble sâlable or '''sâleable

'''gâble

cf. lâbel - '''avâilable

'''unwínnable

'''ádmirable

'''desîrable

'''sâble

'''advîsable

'''tâble

'''debâtable

'''insurmòuntable

'''stâble

'''cònstable

'''forgívable

'''dábble

'''rábble

cf. rébel - '''pébble '''dríbble

'''cóbble

'''góbble

'''hóbble

'''nóbble

'''wóbble

'''Húbble

'''rúbble

'''stúbble

'''édible

tánj- '''tángible

'''fállible

'''térrible

'''hórrible

'''comprehénsible

'''apprehénsible

'''sénsible

-sable is French - '''respónsible

axé- '''accéssible

'''colléctible

'''suscéptible

'''contémptible

'''irresístible

'''ámble

prê- '''preámble

'''gámble

'''rámble

'''scrámble

'''assémble

'''dissémble

.*rizémble '''resémble

.*onsómble '''ensemble

'''nímble

'''thímble

'''búmble

'''fúmble

'''húmble

'''júmble

'''múmble

'''rúmble

'''crúmble

'''grúmble

'''túmble

'''stúmble

'''nôble

'''doúble

AmE rûble = BrE '''roûble

'''troúble

'''pínnacle

'''bàrnacle

'''téntacle

'''óbstacle

* vêícle '''vêhicle

'''véntricle

'''pàrticle

* úngkəl '''úncle

'''càrbuncle

'''Chêadle

'''tréadle

'''crâdle

'''páddle

'''stráddle

'''ẁaddle

'''tẁaddle

médal medallion = interfere '''méddle

bicycle pédal = sell '''péddle

'''díddle

'''fíddle

'''míddle

'''píddle

'''ríddle

'''códdle

'''cúddle

'''fúddle

'''befúddle

'''húddle

'''múddle

'''cándle

'''dándle

'''hándle

'''spíndle

'''noôdle

'''poôdle

'''gïrdle

'''cürdle

'''hürdle

'''kerfúffle

'''trúffle

'''strúggle

'''invêigle

g sounded separately from ng -'''ngle

'''ángle

'''bángle

'''dángle

spángle

'''wrángle

'''wángle

'''bürgle

'''bûgle

'''bîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl '''môbile

'''åutomobìle

'''fîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl '''frágile

'''Ánglophîle

'''mîle

'''símilê

.*fáx-íməly '''facsímilê

'''smîle

'''pîle

'''rîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl '''stérile

BrE -île, AmE -əl prayers míssal = war '''míssile

'''tîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl '''vólatile

'''mërcantîle

'''ínfantîle

BrE -île, AmE -əl '''hóstile

.*gîle, hard g - '''guîle

'''revîle

'''táckle

'''héckle

'''fréckle

'''píckle

'''tíckle

'''cóckle

'''búckle

'''ánkle

'''tínkle

'''wrínkle

'''wínkle

food gríll = screen '''grílle

fire côal = person '''Côle

'''dôle

'''hôle

'''môle

ballot pôll = Poland Pôle = wood '''pôle

over, eat rôll = play '''rôle

'''partíciple

adjective, person príncipal = belief '''prínciple

'''discîple

'''sāmple

'''exāmple

'''dímple

'''símple

'''rúmple

'''crúmple

stêeple rhymes with '''pêople

'''nípple

'''rípple

'''típple

'''coúple

'''scrûple

vással and in AmE words in -āstle rhyme with '''hássle

-zle '''tòusle

person Súttle = obvious '''súbtle

'''chŏrtle

-səl -'''stle

'''cāstle

véssel rhymes with -'''éstle

'''néstle

'''tréstle

'''wréstle

'''whístle

'''grístle

Rússell rhymes with -'''ústle

'''bústle

'''hústle

'''rústle

'''líttle

'''cáttle

'''kéttle

gold métal = courage méttle

'''bóttle

súbtle rhymes with '''shúttle

-ûel rhymes with -'''ûle

'''módule

'''mûle

'''rûle

'''cápsule

'''dázzle

'''fízzle

cf. drível - '''drízzle

'''sízzle

'''púzzle

person Mêe = ''you mê

cf. âim - câme

'''gâme

'''lâme

'''sâme

'''frâme

'''tâme

'''extrême

'''dîme

.*rèzhìme '''regìme

'''lîme

verse rhŷme = frost '''rîme

'''tîme

'''íncòme

'''òutcòme

'''dôme

'''hôme

'''gênome

Alaska Nôme = garden '''gnôme

'''sòme

səm -'''some

'''troúblesome

'''hándsome

'''thrêesome

h- '''whôlesome

'''wínsome

cf. hysteréctomy - '''epítomê

.*rizyûme '''resûme

.*rézumây, written with French accents avoids confusion with resûme: résumé

.*prizyûme '''presûme

-syû- '''consûme

-syû- '''assûme

frost rîme = verse '''rhŷme

fruit lîme = England '''Lŷme

'''énzŷme

'''bâne

persons Câin = Câine = stick '''câne

'''urbâne

'''Dâne

'''mêthane

cf. Joánne - '''Diáne

'''Jâne

'''lâne

cf. remâin - relevant '''germâne

'''scêne

'''obscêne

'''gángrêne

-ône '''colôgne

-îgn rhymes with -'''îne

person '''Germâine

'''mìgrâine

'''Ukrâine

.*Mádlin or *Mádlən - Mádeleíne

'''refîne

'''confîne

'''éngíne

cf. hérôín drug, hérôíne hero - '''méscalíne

'''declîne

'''reclîne

'''mîne

vërmín rhymes with '''ërmíne

'''detërmíne

'''sërpentîne

'''türpentîne

'''intéstíne

K- '''Chrístìne

'''prístìne

'''magazìne

win wòn = number '''òne

'''cône

cf. Stône of Scone, *Scoôn - '''scóne

'''dòne

'''condône

'''góne

'''alône

'''anémonê

'''nòne

'''atône

'''stône

cf. Kíngston, both have o as schwa - '''Mâidstone

'''zône

'''ãirbŏrne

o as schwa in best Aus pronunciation '''Mélbourne

'''Êastbŏurne


 * dí-mâin '''demèsne

= -ô, -ôw - -'''ôe

'''ôboe

'''dôe

'''fôe

-oô '''shoe

'''Jôe

rhyming with Zôê: *Klôwêe: '''Chlôê

-oô '''canoe

'''rôe

'''tôe

'''wôe

rhyming with Chlôê: '''Zôê

'''grâpe

'''Penélopê

'''ántelôpe

or ón- '''énvelôpe

'''shãre

'''awãre

'''bewãre

'''prepãre

'''îronwãre

'''sóftwãre

-re as schwa - *âkər '''âcre

-re as schwa - -kər '''mássacre

ear hêar = this '''hêre

them théir = that '''thére

clothes wéãr = place '''whère

'''mêre

was '''wëre

'''sevêre

.*ôker *AmE ôcher BrE '''ôchre

'''shîre

in England, schwa, -shə -'''shire

.*Glóstersher '''Glóucestershire

.*Léstersher '''Léicestershire

.*Wùstersher '''Worcestershire

-shîre in Scotland – though non-Scots may not comply '''Âyrshîre

'''hîre

'''mîre

cf. fŏr - '''befŏre

'''to the fŏre

'''thérefore

(and, for some, toûr guide) rock  tŏr = téar '''tŏre

'''bizàrre

AmE thêater BrE '''thêatre

length AmE mêter BrE '''mêtre

AmE cénter BrE '''céntre AmE scépter BrE '''scéptre

'''cûre cf. grándeûr - '''endûre

'''abjûre

-jər '''ínjure

-jər '''cònjure

'''përjure

'''lûre

-lyər '''fâilure

BrE əlyûə '''allûre

BrE Shåw = AmE '''sûre

-zhər -'''sure

'''pléasure

'''méasure

'''tréasure

'''léisure

'''clôsure

-sh- '''préssure

-sh- '''físsure

-chər -'''ture

'''matûre

'''nâture

'''státure

'''pāstûre

'''fûture

'''sûture

AmE maneûver BrE '''manoeûvre

'''wê’re

of you yŏur = days yŏre = you are '''yŏu’re

here thére = them théir = they '''thèy’re

chêese, slêaze and frêeze rhyme with '''êase

-ss '''lêase

êase rhymes with plea plêas = request '''plêase

-ss '''crêase

verb, noun -ss '''decrêase

verb, noun -ss '''incrêase

-z '''têase

âce rhymes with '''châse

confuse fâze = temporary '''phâse

-êez (no nationalities end in -ìse); usually stressed but can become unstressed before a noun as in Jápanese: -'''êse

'''chêese

'''jöurnalêse

'''Nepalêse

'''Cóngolêse

'''Jápanêse

'''Chînêse

In all words apart from those specified below, -îse can be spelt -îze, for example críticize, and this is how -îse is pronounced in most verbs -'''îse

'''críticîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize noun, verb '''éxercîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''mërchandîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''fránchîse

'''vërbalîse

'''rêalise

'''êqualîse

-êez '''valìse

'''fërtilîse

never spelt -ize because it is a noun and pronounced -íss '''prémíse

never spelt -ize because pronounced -íss noun, verb '''prómíse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''cómpromîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''surmîse

.*pŏrpus '''pŏrpoise

.*tŏrtus '''tŏrtoise

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''despîse

'''glámorise

-êez '''reprìse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''comprîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''surprîse

presh- '''pressurîse

'''émphasîse

práctíce = BrE verb '''práctíse

'''áppetîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''ádvertîse

.*éxpertêez '''expertìse

silent u; pronounced but never spelt -ize '''disguîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''advîse

cf. noun devîce - -z verb '''devîse

pronounced but never spelt *wîze '''wîse

pronounced but never spelt -wize -'''wîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''lîkewîse

pronounced but never spelt -ize '''clóckwîse

-ss, as also hénce, fénce - '''dénse

'''sénse

'''nónsense

cf. defénce, lîcence, offénce where AmE has -ense, all -ss '''suspénse

cf. dôze -ss '''dôse

-z '''chôse

'''grandiôse

.*loôze '''lose

noun, adjective -s, verb -z '''clôse

-z '''nôse

-z '''choôse

.*lûce '''loôse

-z '''expôse

can have French accent: exposé *expôzây '''expôsè

-z '''rôse

'''ápse

'''lápse

noun '''rêlapse

verb '''relápse

'''collápse

'''trâipse

'''eclípse

cop cóps = wood '''cópse

'''hëarse

cf. revërse - '''rehëarse

'''tërse

'''vërse

'''avërse

'''ádverse

cf. rehëarse - '''revërse

'''gŏrse

voice hŏarse = animal '''hŏrse

'''wörse

'''cürse

'''nürse

'''bŏurse

vulgar cŏarse = run '''cŏurse

-z '''ûse

no! -z '''refûse

rubbish -ss '''réfuse

-z '''mûse

-ss '''spòuse

-îze '''ánalyse

-îze '''páralyse

lure bâit = anger, breath '''bâte

'''debâte

'''rêbâte

-âte verb, -ət noun '''prédicate

'''índicâte

'''víndicâte

-ət '''certíficate

BrE -ət, AmE -âte - '''cándidate

'''fâte

'''hâte

'''lâte

-âte verb, -ət adjective '''artículate

'''régulâte

'''mâte

-ít or -ət '''clîmate

-âte verb, -ət adjective '''éstimate

'''guésstimate

person Spèight = rush '''spâte

'''séparate

-rət '''dísparate

-âte verb, -ət adjective '''delíberate

cf. ônerous - '''exónerâte

-rət '''désperate

'''émigrate

'''ímmigrate

-âte verb, -ət adjective '''eláborate

máj- '''mágistrâte

'''démonstrâte

'''rémonstrâte

-âte verb, -ət adjective '''precípitate

'''áctivâte

'''effête

'''complête

.*sôshalîte '''sôcialîte

'''elìte

'''polîte

'''gráníte

'''fînîte

.*définət '''définite

.*ínfinət '''ínfinite

'''unîte

'''despîte

AmE réspíte - '''réspîte

'''hýpocríte

AmE -or-; BrE '''fâvouríte

'''Trótskyîte

can be written 'Brontë' - '''Bróntê

'''ánecdote

'''ántidote

'''môte

'''nôte

'''vôte

'''fŏrtè

'''càste

'''hâste

'''châste

usually stressed -ét -'''étte

oô- '''oubliétte

'''serviétte

matress pállet = paint '''pálette

cf. hámlet - *ómlet '''ómelette

'''kitchenétte

'''tríbûte

'''cóntríbûte

'''dístríbûte

noun '''áttribûte

verb '''attríbute

.*mínít time '''mínute

.*mŷ-neŵt small '''minûte

'''repûte

'''compûte

cf. ínput - '''impûte

'''bŷte

'''nêophŷte

mostly silent -'''ue

'''bàrbecûe

'''âgûe

.*lêag '''lêague

persons Hãig = Hâigh = city, person '''Hâgue

.*plâig '''plâgue

.*Pràg '''Pràgue

.*sâygwây '''sèguè

-êeg noun '''íntrigue

-êeg verb '''intrìgue

-êeg '''fatìgue

.*meráng '''meringue

.*túng '''tòngue

-góg: all these words may, and in most cases must lose the final -ue in American English -'''gógue

-óg '''sýnagogue

-óg '''dîalogue

'''àrgûe

blow bleŵ = colour '''blûe

'''clûe

influenza flû = chimney '''flûe

'''glûe

cf. síneŵ - '''ávenûe

'''révenûe

final que is -k: many words end like this, but not bàrbecûe - '''que

-àk '''pláque

-âik '''opâque

.*Môzám-bêek '''Mozambìque

cf. reálpolitìk - '''critìque

-ésk '''burlésque

-ésk '''Pinterésque

-ésk '''picturésque

-ósk '''mósque

cf. brísk -oòsk '''brùsque

Susan Sûe = law '''sûe

.*insyû '''ensûe

-syû '''pursûe

.*íshû '''íssue

.*tíshû '''tíssue

'''câve

'''Dâve

'''gâve

'''háve

'''cónclâve

'''pâve

'''râve

'''crâve

serious, dead '''grâve

accent '''gràve

sw- '''suàve

'''êve

'''slêeve

'''belìêve

'''relìêve

'''grìêve

'''síeve

'''sémibrêve

'''côërcíve

'''dîve

'''éndíve

'''recêive

'''concêive

'''fîve

cf. jîve dance - hard g in take '''gíve

'''hîve

'''líve

'''alîve

'''derîve

'''arrîve

'''contrîve

'''persuâsíve

'''adhêsíve

'''defénsíve

'''offénsíve

'''crêâtíve

'''tålkatíve

'''nâtive

words which have secondary stressed AmE -âtive, two syllables after the main stress: AmE imáginâtive, BrE a as schwa: '''imáginatíve

'''objéctíve

'''ádjectíve

'''invéctíve

'''sénsitíve

'''repétitíve

'''môtíve

'''revîve

'''abòve

bird '''dòve

(BrE is regular dîved) AmE dive '''dôve

England Hôve = heave '''hôve

'''shòve

'''lòve

'''glòve

.*moôve '''move

'''groôve

'''rôve

'''grôve

'''stôve

'''trôve

'''strôve

'''nërve

'''sërve

.*prizërv '''presërve

'''Î’ve

'''wê’ve

'''yoû’ve

'''thèy’ve

'''Zimbàbwè

me yoû = sheep '''eŵe

'''Lërner and Lôewe

'''Lilóngwè

AmE áx - BrE '''áxe

'''yê

me Î = sight '''eŷe

pig, eye stŷ = eye '''stŷe

plêase and frêeze rhyme with '''slêaze

period phâse = confuse '''fâze

'''gâze

'''ádze

free frêes = cold '''frêeze

'''trapêze

most words in -îse can also be spelt -îze: all exceptions are listed under -îse. -'''îze

never -ise '''sêize

apart prîse = present '''prîze

never -ise '''sîze

'''dôze

'''búlldoze

'''Drûze

both pronounced -îze BrE ánalŷse, AmE '''ánalŷze

both pronounced -îze BrE páralŷse, AmE '''páralŷze