Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

specular

/ˈspɛk.jə.lɚ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.20 in modern English

Syllables: spec-u-lar
IPA: /ˈspɛk.jə.lɚ/

12

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Pertaining to mirrors; mirror-like, reflective.

adj

Of or relating to a speculum; conducted with the aid of a speculum.

adj

Assisting sight, like a lens etc.

adj

Offering an expansive view; picturesque.

Example Sentences

"a perfect likeness would rather suggest a specular, and hence speculatory, phenomenon [...]."
"a specular examination"
"Thy specular orb / Apply to well-dissected kernels; lo! / In each observe the slender threads / Of first-beginning trees."
"Calm as the Universe, from specular towers / Of heaven contemplated by Spirits pure."
"Look once more, e're we leave this specular mount."

Etymology

From Latin speculāris, from speculum; and in some senses from speculārī (“to watch, observe”). Some later senses via French spéculaire.

Word Breakdown

Root: *speḱ-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈspɛk.jə.lɚ/
British English: /ˈspɛk.jʊ.lə/

Inflected Forms

more specular (comparative) most specular (superlative)

Derived Forms

aspecular despecularize nonspecular specularity specularization specularize specularly

Phrases

specular iron specular stone

Synonyms

mirrorlike

Questions

How do you pronounce specular?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈspɛk.jə.lɚ/.
What does specular mean?: Pertaining to mirrors; mirror-like, reflective.
Where does specular come from?: From Latin speculāris, from speculum; and in some senses from speculārī (“to watch, observe”). Some later senses via French spéculaire.

How to pronounce specular

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “specular”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈspɛk.jə.lɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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