Leaf Spelling Dictionary

Does lanceolate have a double l?

stress-doubleStress falls on the first syllable of lanceolate. English often doubles a consonant after a stressed vowel, but this word never did.

heard aslanceollate
spelledlanceolate
saidLAN-see-uh-layt

No. One l, and the word is lanceolate.

Doubling the l would be the right instinct in a word like appellate, where the stress sits on the syllable before it. In lanceolate the stress is back on LAN, four syllables away, and the l is left carrying nothing at all.

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