Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

trigger

/ˈtɹɪɡɚ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.25 in modern English

Syllables: trig-ger
IPA: /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/

9

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.

noun

A similar device used to activate any mechanism.

noun

An event that initiates others, or incites a response.

noun

An event that initiates others, or incites a response.

noun

A concept or image that upsets somebody by sparking a negative emotional response.

noun

An event, experience or other stimulus that initiates a traumatic memory or a strong reaction in a person.

noun

An electronic transducer allowing a drum, cymbal, etc. to control an electronic drum unit or similar device.

noun

A device that manually lengthens (or sometimes shortens) the slide or tubing of a brass instrument, allowing the pitch range to be altered while playing.

Example Sentences

"Just pull the trigger."
"[W]e pull'd aſide the Tricker, and obſerv'd, that according to our expectation the force of the Spring of the Lock vvas not ſenſibly abated by the abſence of the Air."
"Sleeping in an unfamiliar room can be a trigger for sleepwalking."
"emotional trigger"
"I can't watch that violent film. Blood is one of my triggers."
"A U235 bomb would therefore need to incorporate a gun weighing ten tons. Then there was the question of initiating or triggering the bomb."

Etymology

Originally tricker, from Dutch trekker (“pull”, noun, as in drawer-pull, bell-pull), from Dutch trekken (“to drag, draw, pull”).

Origin

Source language: Dutch

Word Breakdown

Root: trekker, trekken

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/
British English: /ˈtɹɪɡə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

triggers (plural) tricker (alternative) triggers (present, singular) triggering (participle, present) triggered (participle, past) triggered (past)

Derived Forms

mistrigger phototrigger pretrigger triggered triggerfish triggerish triggerless triggerlike triggerman triggernometry triggerplant triggerwoman

Phrases

chemoreceptor trigger zone grim trigger hair trigger hair-trigger have one's finger on the trigger itchy trigger finger parent trigger pull the trigger

Frequently Paired Words

trek

Synonyms

activate detonate fire set off trip precipitate cause initiate push someone's buttons

Antonyms

glimmer

Rhymes With

bigger nigger digger rigor vigor biggar wigger crigger sligar figure nigga configure

Questions

How do you pronounce trigger?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/.
What does trigger mean?: A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.
Where does trigger come from?: It is traced to Dutch.

How to pronounce trigger

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