Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

alcove

/ˈæl.koʊv/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.62 in modern English

Syllables: al-cove
IPA: /ˈæl.koʊv/

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A small recessed area set off from a larger room.

noun

A shady retreat.

noun

The geographical and geological term for a steep-sided hollow in the side of an exposed rock face or cliff of a homogeneous rock type, that was water eroded.

Countable

verb

To furnish (something) with an alcove or to form an alcovelike recess.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"It was very different from such bookstores as he had been accustomed to patronize. Two stories of the old house had been thrown into one: the lower space was divided into little alcoves; above, a gallery ran round the wall, which carried books to the ceiling."
"The house was situated in a leafy alcove."

Etymology

From French alcôve, from Spanish alcoba or Portuguese alcova, from Arabic القُبَّة (al-qubba, “vault, chamber with vaulted roof”). Doublet of qubba.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: alcôve, alcoba, alcova, قبة

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈæl.koʊv/
British English: /ˈæl.kəʊv/

Usage

Inflected Forms

alcoves (plural) alcoves (present, singular) alcoving (participle, present) alcoved (participle, past) alcoved (past)

Derived Forms

alcoved alcovelike

Synonyms

bay

Questions

How do you pronounce alcove?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæl.koʊv/.
What does alcove mean?: A small recessed area set off from a larger room.
Where does alcove come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce alcove

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “alcove”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæl.koʊv/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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