tribune
/ˈtɹɪbjun/
noun
Familiar
1.n.(ancient Rome) an official elected by the plebeians to protect their interests
2.n.the apse of a Christian church that contains the bishop's throne
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tribune and tribute differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. tribune means “(ancient Rome) an official elected by the plebeians to protect their interests”. tribute means “something given or done as an expression of esteem”. tribute is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈtɹɪbjun/
1.n.(ancient Rome) an official elected by the plebeians to protect their interests
2.n.the apse of a Christian church that contains the bishop's throne
/ˈtɹɪbjut/
1.n.something given or done as an expression of esteem
2.n.payment by one nation for protection by another
3.n.payment extorted by gangsters on threat of violence
“every store in the neighborhood had to pay him protection”
| tribune | tribute | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈtɹɪbjun/ | /ˈtɹɪbjut/ |
| Said | TRI-byoon | TRI-byoot |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 7 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 2 | 3 |
| How common | Familiar | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | testimonial |
Full entry for tribune · Full entry for tribute · More comparisons