How Do You Spell SUR-PRISED?

Pronunciation: [sˈɜːpɹˈa͡ɪzd] (IPA)

The word "surprised" is spelled with seven letters, but it's not always easy to get it right. The first syllable is pronounced with the /s/ sound, followed by the /ɜ:/ sound, which is similar to the vowel sound in "bird" or "herd." The second syllable has the /praɪzd/ sound, with a long /aɪ/ vowel and the voiced /z/ sound. So, the correct IPA transcription for "surprised" would be /səˈpraɪzd/. If you remember this, spelling this word correctly should be a breeze!

Common Misspellings for SUR-PRISED

  • sur0-prised
  • surp-prised
  • surmprised

Etymology of SUR-PRISED

The word "surprised" is derived from Old French "surpris" (past participle of "surprendre"), which means "unexpectedly seized" or "caught off guard". It further evolved from the combination of the prefix "sur-" meaning "over" or "beyond", and the verb "prendre" meaning "to take" or "to seize". The word gradually made its way into Middle English in the 14th century with the same meaning and spelling, and eventually became "surprised" in Modern English.