Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

contract

/ˈkɑntɹækt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.94 in modern English

Syllables
con-tract
IPA
/ˈkɑntɹækt/
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.

noun

An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.

noun

An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must contain at least one promise, i.e., a commitment or offer, by an offeror to and accepted by an offeree to do something in the future. A contract is thus executory rather than executed.

noun

The document containing such an agreement.

noun

A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.

noun

An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.

Informal

noun

The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump.

adj

Contracted; affianced; betrothed.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French contract, from Latin contractus (noun), from contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”) [from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”)] + -tus (suffix forming nouns from verbs).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈkɑntɹækt/
  • British English: /ˈkɒntɹækt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

contracts (plural) contracts (present, singular) contracting (participle, present) contracted (participle, past) contracted (past)

Derived Forms

contractarianism contractee contractless contractocracy contractual contraktnik hypercontract noncontract precontract subcontract supercontract contractability

Phrases

adhesion contract breach of contract contract agent contract awarding contract bridge contract cheating contract curve contract killer

Synonyms

compact pact contract law abate decrease lessen reduce shorten shrink catch get

Antonyms

increase expand grow lengthen

Rhymes With

subcontract noncontract fact act contact impact exact packed backed attract react abstract

Questions

How do you pronounce contract?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkɑntɹækt/.
What does contract mean?
An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.
Where does contract come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce contract

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