Ages refers to a length of time that someone has lived or existed, or to the duration of a particular period. In addition, “ages” can function as the plural form of age in contexts like “the ages of people.” It is pronounced with a clear final s, and the word shifts in meaning with context or when forming phrases (e.g., “at ages 5,” “ages of the Earth”).
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"She learned how long she had been alive, counting her ages across the years."
"In the museum, the ages of the fossils were estimated by carbon dating."
"The cake was baked to suit different ages of guests."
"He has changed so much over the ages that you hardly recognize him."
Ages derives from Middle English aged (first attested around the 13th century) meaning ‘having lived for a certain time.’ The root is from Old English eage (age, years of life), related to similar Germanic terms for age and old age. The plural form ages appears naturally when the noun age is pluralized, indicating multiple time spans or cohorts. Historically, ages has also appeared in phrases like “ages of man,” drawing from classical ideas of different eras or stages in human life. Over time, the word broadened to refer to any long spans of time or to the duration of non-human phenomena (e.g., geological ages). First known written uses include medieval texts where ages were discussed in genealogies or historical timelines, evolving to modern usage in both literal time spans and metaphorical durations (e.g., “in the ages to come”).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "ages" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "ages" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "ages"
-ges sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You pronounce it as /ˈeɪ.dʒɪz/ in US, UK, and AU. Start with the long vowel /eɪ/ as in “face,” then the /dʒ/ sound as in “jam,” and end with /ɪz/ or a light /z/ depending on speed. Stress is on the first syllable: AGE-s. Keep the /dʒ/ light but audible, and finish with a crisp /z/ in careful speech or a softer /z/ in rapid speech.
Common errors include treating /dʒ/ as a simple /j/ like in “yes,” producing /eɪdʒɪ/ instead of /ˈeɪ.dʒɪz/, or dropping the final /z/ in rapid speech becoming /-ɪ/ or /-s/. Also, some speakers misplace the stress or merge the second syllable with the first. To correct: practice the /dʒ/ as a single affricate, ensure the final is voiced /z/, and maintain clear separation between syllables yet smooth transition in connected speech.
Across accents, the nucleus /eɪ/ remains steady, but vowel length and final consonant voice can shift. In US and AU, the /ɪ/ in the second syllable tends to be shorter, with a slightly reduced vowel in fast speech. In UK, the /ɪ/ can be a bit tenser and the final /z/ may have a crisper frication. Overall, the rhyme remains close to “pages,” with subtle resonance differences in vowel quality and voicing.
The challenge lies in the delicate transition from the affricate /dʒ/ to the high-front lax vowel /ɪ/ and then to the voiced final /z/. Many speakers flatten the /dʒ/ or shorten the /ɪ/ in rapid speech, which distorts the word’s rhythm. Also, the plural ending requires precise voicing, especially in connected speech or when the next word begins with a vowel or voiceless consonant.
Does 'ages' ever sound like 'agers' in fast speech? In careful speech, ages /ˈeɪ.dʒɪz/ is distinct from agers /ˈeɪ.dʒɚz/ (US) or /ˈeɪ.dʒəz/ (UK) where the second syllable may reduce to a schwa in casual contexts. In rapid conversation, some speakers compress the /ɪ/ toward a minimal vowel, and the final /z/ can become a longer sibilant /z/ or even assimilate before following voiced sounds.
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