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ivorie

Diction
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An older spelling of ivory, the hard white material from tusks; in poetry, it connotes smoothness, luxury, coldness, or the aesthetic of pale, polished surfaces.

Detailed Definition
This is an older spelling used in early modern English poetry. Here it helps build the sonnet’s polished, luxurious description of Adonis’s appearance, especially the whiteness of his skin.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Might not compare with his pure ivorie white” uses ivorie as an archaic or stylized spelling of ivory; “Her ivorie tower gleamed against the storm” adopts a historical poetic register; “Ivory-white petals opened at dawn” is the modern equivalent; Because ivory also names a material linked to animal exploitation and trade, contemporary poets may use it critically or choose another comparison
Additional Notes
The spelling in the evidence is archaic, and modern readers may pause over "ivorie" even though the meaning is related to ivory.; Found in the poem, Sonnet 17 by Richard Barnefield
Also Known As
bone alabaster marble ivory
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