The spelling of the word "lillis" may seem counterintuitive at first glance. However, when broken down phonetically, the spelling makes more sense. The word is pronounced as /ˈlɪlɪs/, with emphasis on the first syllable. The double "l" represents the short "i" sound, while the "-is" ending is pronounced with a long "e" sound. Therefore, the "lil" in "lillis" is pronounced like "lill", as in "lilac", and the "-is" ending is pronounced like "eez", as in "nemesis".