Age refers to the length of time that a person, object, or phenomenon has existed. It can denote years lived, duration since an event, or the quality of being older relative to a standard. In linguistics and social contexts, 'age' often interacts with concepts of maturity, experience, and historical period. (2–4 sentences, concise and precise.)
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"Her age is a factor in the medical study she participated in."
"The city has aged gracefully, with historic buildings preserved."
"We don’t know his exact age, but he looks much younger."
"With age comes wisdom, but also changes in health and energy."
Age comes from the Old French word aje, and from Latin aetas meaning 'lifetime, period of time, age.' The Latin root aevum/ aetas referred to the lifetime of a being or the length of time something has existed. In early English, age also signified a stage of life (childhood, adulthood) and later broadened to denote the length of existence or the period since a given event. The word appears in Middle English as age, with related forms in various Germanic languages reflecting the same concept of time's passage. Through centuries, age also took on abstract senses like 'vulnerability to old age,' 'period in history,' and 'a person's stage within a social timeline'—ultimately converging on the modern sense of years lived or duration since birth. First known uses appear in medieval texts where age indicated both physical years and social status tied to age-related expectations.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "age" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "age" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "age"
-age sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as a single stressed syllable /eɪdʒ/. Start with the long 'a' /eɪ/ vowel, then glide into the /dʒ/ affricate (like 'j' in 'jump') and finish with a soft, voiced 'dʒ' sound. The tongue rises toward the alveolar ridge, lips relaxed, with the /dʒ/ release immediately after the vowel. IPA: /eɪdʒ/. Listen to native samples on pronunciation resources for audible reference.
Common errors include: 1) pronouncing it as /ædʒ/ (short 'a' as in 'cat') which reduces the long vowel; 2) over-emphasizing the 'g' as a hard 'g' /g/ instead of the /dʒ/ affricate; 3) adding an extra syllable or a schwa at the end (e.g., /eɪdʒə/). Correction: hold the /eɪ/ clearly, then release into /dʒ/ without a vowel after it, ending sharply with the /dʒ/ release; keep the tongue close to the alveolar ridge during the affricate.
In US/UK/AU, the core /eɪ/ vowel remains the same, but rhoticity can influence surrounding vowel quality in connected speech, and the /dʒ/ is often realized with a firmer release in some American accents. Australians may have a slightly more centralized quality in the diphthong and faster transition to the /dʒ/; the final sound is typically a crisp /dʒ/ in all three, with minor vowel-length differences and vowel-nasal coarticulation across contexts.
Because it hinges on a precise diphthong /eɪ/ and a tightly released affricate /dʒ/. The transition from vowel to consonant must be smooth and quick, with the tongue staying high for the /eɪ/ glide and curling to make a clean /dʒ/ release. Mispronunciations often involve a shorter vowel, a hard /g/ instead of /dʒ/, or adding extra vowel sound after the /dʒ/. Focus on the seamless move from the vowel into the affricate without voicing a separate vowel.
Think of it as /eɪ/ plus /dʒ/ with a gentle, almost clipped release. Keep the tongue high for the /eɪ/ diphthong start, then drop quickly into the alveolar ridge contact for /dʒ/. Ensure there isn’t an extra vowel after the /dʒ/—the word ends on the /dʒ/ sound. Visualize a blend of 'bay' and 'judge' without an extra syllable. IPA reference: /eɪdʒ/.
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