The word "steeper" is spelled with two "e"s, but the pronunciation can be confusing. The IPA phonetic transcription for "steeper" is /ˈstiːpər/. The initial "s" sound is followed by a long "ee" sound, represented by "iː". The "p" is pronounced as a voiceless bilabial stop, and the "er" is a schwa sound. Together, this produces the correct pronunciation of "steeper", which means having a steep slope or incline. It's important to spell and pronounce words correctly to ensure clear communication.
Steeper is a comparative adjective that is used to describe something that has a more significant incline or slope than something else. In other words, it refers to a surface or slope that rises at a steeper angle or gradient.
When used in the context of slopes or hills, steeper indicates that the incline is sharper or more vertical in comparison to another slope. For example, if there are two hills and one is described as steeper than the other, it means that the first hill has a more abrupt or pronounced upward slope. It suggests that the ascent or descent is more challenging or difficult due to the increased steepness.
Similarly, the term can be applied to other objects or situations besides just physical slopes. It can be used metaphorically to describe an increase in difficulty, intensity, or rate. For instance, you might say that a learning curve is steeper for a difficult subject compared to an easier one. This means that the subject requires more effort, time, or concentration to comprehend or master.
Overall, steeper is a word that conveys the idea of increased incline or difficulty. It is commonly used to compare the steepness of slopes or to describe the challenging nature of various situations.
One who or that which steeps.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "steeper" has its roots in the Old English word "stēap" meaning "steep, lofty, high". Over time, the word evolved and developed into the Middle English word "stēp" with the same meaning. Eventually, "stēp" became "steeper" with the addition of the suffix "-er", which denotes a comparative form.