Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

protract

/pɹoʊˈtɹækt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.35 in modern English

Syllables: pro-tract
IPA: /pɹoʊˈtɹækt/

12

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To draw out; to extend, especially in duration.

verb

To use a protractor.

verb

To draw to a scale; to lay down the lines and angles of, with scale and protractor; to plot.

verb

To put off to a distant time; to delay; to defer.

verb

To extend; to protrude.

Example Sentences

"Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock; Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech."
"1755, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, London: J. and P. Knapton et al., Volume 1, Preface, I have protracted my work till most of those whom I wished to please, have sunk into the grave […]"
"I should wish now to protract this moment ad infinitum; but I dare not."
"A bereft landscape of sad browns and sepias of winter lay all about us, the marshland drearily protracting itself towards the wide river."
"Still, from these extraordinary pages you can learn that it's very bad to be burned alive on a windy day, because the breeze will keep flicking the flames away from you and thus protract the process."
"This is a synopsis of our marches, which, protracted on Burckhardt’s map, gives an error of ten miles."

Etymology

From the past participle stem of Latin prōtrahō. By surface analysis, pro- + tract.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: *per-, prōtrahō

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /pɹoʊˈtɹækt/
British English: /pɹəˈtɹakt/

Inflected Forms

protracts (present, singular) protracting (participle, present) protracted (participle, past) protracted (past)

Derived Forms

protracted protractedly protractedness protractile protraction protractive protractor protractable protractible

Phrases

tract and its related terms

Frequently Paired Words

tract and its related terms

Synonyms

prolong extend draw out

Rhymes With

fact act impact attacked exact packed backed attract react abstract interact cracked

Questions

How do you pronounce protract?: The recorded pronunciation is /pɹoʊˈtɹækt/.
What does protract mean?: To draw out; to extend, especially in duration.
Where does protract come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce protract

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Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/pɹoʊˈtɹækt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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