Nuts and Bolts: triphthong.

A triphthong, is, yes, like a diphthong, only even twistier on the tongue.

It's important to note that both diphthongs and triphthongs only consist of one syllable* (though the distinction can be rather subtle. For instance, the word flour has one syllable, but flower, for example, has two (though of course it depends upon how you pronounce them)).

The vowel sound in flour is a triphthong because there are three different vowel sounds squeezed into that small word. No, I'm not sure I can really hear all of them, either, but watching your mouth in a mirror when you say the word makes this easier to believe.

Another English triphthong is byre (but not buyer).

There. 

You didn't know your tongue was quite that clever, did you?

Word To Use Today: triphthong. The Greek word triphthongos means with three sounds.

*Unless you're one of the people who think differently.