-ORY

-ory BrE AmE ə r i AmE \ ə r i, ɔːr i oʊr i —This suffix is usually stress-neutral when attached to a free stem (di ˈ rectory, ˈ promissory) ; otherwise it imposes stress on one of the two preceding syllables (per ˈ functory, ˈ repertory) . Italian has a strong vowel in American English ( -ɔːr i) if the preceding vowel is weak ( ˈ dormitory) ; otherwise, and always in British English, it has a weak vowel.