Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fulcrum

/ˈfʊlkɹəm/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.76 in modern English

Syllables: ful-crum
IPA: /ˈfʊlkɹəm/

14

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The support about which a lever pivots.

noun

A crux or pivot; a central point.

name

NATO code name for the Soviet MiG-29 aircraft.

Example Sentences

"It is possible to flick food across the table using your fork as a lever and your finger as a fulcrum."
"MILDRED: Archimedes said give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it and I will move the world. CHARLOTTE: Yeah she said that twaddle eight or nine times."
"A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place."
"By this point the fulcrum of concern is the stuprum of men upon men, described as more prevalent than that upon women."
"Chelsea's Mason Mount is a top-class talent while West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has moved his game on to another level this season and will be the fulcrum of England's midfield this summer."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin fulcrum (“bedpost, foot of a couch”), from fulciō (“prop up, support”).

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: *bʰelǵ-, fulcrum

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfʊlkɹəm/
British English: /ˈfʊlkɹəm/

Inflected Forms

fulcrums (plural) fulcra (plural)

Derived Forms

perifulcrum

Frequently Paired Words

fulcral

Questions

How do you pronounce fulcrum?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfʊlkɹəm/.
What does fulcrum mean?: The support about which a lever pivots.
Where does fulcrum come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce fulcrum

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