tryst

I'm sure the standard pronunciation is with a short i, rhyming with "wrist" or (more to the point) "cyst". In normal English pronunciation, "y", when used as a vowel, behaves just like "i", which means that when followed by two consonantal phonemes, without a silent "e" at the end to indicate a long vowel, it is pronounced like the "i" in "hit". Also, notice that it doesn't mean an "affair" or a "fling", but only a planned meeting, a date or rendezvous.

I use this word on a regular basis. It is used in literature, music and TV, so I am a little stunned that people don't know how its pronounced.

I think it's one of those words that if you've never heard it pronounced you would think it rhymed with iced, but I believe seanahan is right that it should be pronounced to rhyme with wrist. Tricky English!

Every source I can find says that it should rhyme with wrist. It certainly isn't common, but I wouldn't say it is rare. I've used it a number of times, of course, if you post here, you aren't a good judge of someone who uses "common" words.

I've always pronounced it to rhyme with "iced." Well, I'm not sure that I've ever pronounced it, out loud, to anyone... it's not really a common word. But I've imagined it to rhyme with "iced," and that's why I'm part of the problem.

Could be, jennarenn. Or maybe that club likes to foster an alternate pronunciation?

There's a club in DC by the name of Tryst that everybody always pronouces with a long-i sound. Could it be regional?

That's how I've always pronounced it.

But it's supposed to rhyme with wrist right?

That's how I've always said it, but I have trouble getting the /h/ in there.

I think that second one is actually meant to rhyme with iced, as spoken by Zsa Zsa Gabor. Read it just as printed, and the Y should be pronounced as a long I. I think.

dictionary.com gives thes following pronunciations: trist, trahyst. I can't make heads or tails of the second one. Too many consonants.

I used to think it rhymed with iced.

Having a single-syllable word for affair is great, especially for colouring otherwise bland narratives: "The design firm spent a year courting various manufacturers, but only one was interested, and alas, managerial differences doomed their relationship to being nothing more than an unfruitful tryst."

I like that it portrays a simple, whimsical sort of affair.

I love this word. It is so romantic, so free. It evokes suspense, passion - like a secret life of desire. I crave this word.