Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

alert

/əˈlɝt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.33 in modern English

Syllables
a-lert
IPA
/əˈlɝt/
5
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Attentive; awake; on guard.

adj

brisk; nimble; moving with celerity.

Obsolete

noun

An alarm.

noun

A notification of higher importance than an advisory.

noun

A state of readiness for potential combat.

noun

Synonym of bell (“bell character”).

verb

To give warning to.

name

A community in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada; the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From French alerte (“alert”), from the phrase à l'erte (“on the watch”), from Italian all'erta (“to the height”), from erta (“lookout, tower”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: alerte, all'erta

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /əˈlɝt/
  • British English: /əˈlɜːt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more alert (comparative) most alert (superlative) alerts (plural) alerts (present, singular) alerting (participle, present) alerted (participle, past) alerted (past)

Derived Forms

alertless alertly alertness hyperalert nonalert overalert superalert unalert alertable

Phrases

A&O assessment alert and oriented assessment alert and oriented alert fatigue alert five amber alert drink alert e-alert

Synonyms

wakeful bell watchful alive awake brisk lively merry rattling snappy spanking zippy

Rhymes With

hurt shirt dirt insert skirt kurt dessert assert flirt bert burt divert

Questions

How do you pronounce alert?
The recorded pronunciation is /əˈlɝt/.
What does alert mean?
Attentive; awake; on guard.
Where does alert come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce alert

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “alert”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈlɝt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “alert”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “alert” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.