How do you pronounce quicksand?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/.

Where does quicksand come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

quicksand

/ˈkwɪkˌsænd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.68 in modern English

Syllables: quick-sand
IPA: /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Wet sand that appears firm but in which things readily sink, often found near rivers or coasts.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Anything that metaphorically pulls one down or buries one; a treacherous, risky danger

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"My feet were firmly lodged in the quicksand, and the more I struggled the more I sank into it."
"the quicksands of youth"

Etymology

From Middle English quyksande, from Old English cwecesand (“quicksand”), equivalent to quick (“living”) + sand. Cognate with Swedish kvicksand (“quicksand”), Icelandic kviksandur, kviksyndi (“quicksand”). More at quick, sand.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: quyksande, cwecesand

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/

Usage

Inflected Forms

quicksands (plural)

Derived Forms

quicksandlike quicksandy

Phrases

build on sand

Frequently Paired Words