3 syllables: A, mor, ous. Stress on A.
AM-ur-uhs
/ˈæmɚəs/
Amorous is pronounced AM-ur-uhs (/ˈæmɚəs/). It has three syllables (A-mor-ous), with the stress on "A". Amorous is an adjective describing a feeling of sexual love or strong romantic desire. It is often used to characterize behavior, moods, or expressions that are romantic or affectionate. The word carries a formal or literary tone and can convey tenderness or passion in relationships or artistic depictions.
adjectiveAmorous is an adjective describing a feeling of sexual love or strong romantic desire. It is often used to characterize behavior, moods, or expressions that are romantic or affectionate. The word carries a formal or literary tone and can convey tenderness or passion in relationships or artistic depictions.
"The couple exchanged amorous glances across the table."
"Her poems are filled with amorous imagery and longing."
"The play explores amorous escapades in a gilded, late-Victorian setting."
Pronounce as ə-MOR-us in US and UK. The primary stress lands on the second syllable: /əˈmɔːrəs/ (US/UK). The first syllable is unstressed and reduced to a schwa; the second syllable uses an open-mid back rounded vowel /ɔː/ in British and American variants, followed by a final unstressed /əs/ with a light, quick 's' ending. You’ll hear a smooth transition from the schwa to /ɔː/ and then to /rəs/ in rhotic accents. Audio reference: simulate listening to standard dictionaries or Pronounce resources for exact sound sequence.
Two common errors: (1) Flattening the second syllable to a monotone /æ/ or /ɑː/ instead of the correct /ɔː/; (2) Omission or weak pronunciation of the final /rəs/ cluster, producing /ˈmɔːr/ or /ˈmɔrəs/? with a muffled ending. Correction tips: consistently hit /ɔː/ in the stressed second syllable, and give a clear, lightly syllabic /r/ before the final schwa; keep the final /s/ crisp but not overly sharp. Practice with minimal pairs to contrast /ɔː/ vs /ɑː/, and ensure the trailing /ər/ is compressed into /rə/ with reduced schwa in non-rhotic contexts.
In US English, /əˈmɔɹəs/ with rhotic /ɹ/ in /mɔɹ/. UK typically uses /əˈmɔːrəs/ with a long /ɔː/ and non-rhoticity in some dialects; some speakers still retain rhoticity. Australian English generally keeps /əˈmɔːrəs/ with a broad /ɔː/ and variable rhotics, often closer to UK but with vowel shifts. The key differences are the length and quality of the /ɔː/ vowel and the presence or absence of /ɹ/ in the coda depending on the accent’s rhoticity. Listening to region-specific pronunciations helps solidify the distinctions.
The difficulty lies in the stressed /ɔː/ vowel and the subsequent unstressed /ər/ sequence; many learners misplace the mouth position for /ɔː/ and then hurry the final /əs/ without a clean /r/ or /ər/ cluster. Additionally, American non-rhotic tendencies can blur the /r/ in casual speech, masking the expected /r/ before the final /əs/. Focus on producing a clear /ɔː/ in the stressed syllable, then relax the tongue to form /r/ and finish with a crisp /əs/.
A unique query is whether the /r/ is pronounced before the final /əs/ in non-rhotic accents. In rhotic accents (most American), you pronounce /ɹ/ between the stressed /ɔː/ and the final /əs/, yielding /əˈmɔɹəs/. In many UK non-rhotic contexts, the /ɹ/ may be silent in careful speech, giving /əˈmɔːəs/; nevertheless, linked speech often reintroduces a subtle rhotic cue. So, be mindful of your target audience and practice both with and without linking /r/ depending on the dialect you’re simulating.
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Amorous comes from the Latin amorosus, meaning 'loving' or 'full of love,' itself derived from amor, meaning 'love.' The late Latin form amorosus entered Old French as amoros, then English adaptations adopted the -ous suffix to form amorous. The word began appearing in English religious and moralistic texts to describe romantic or sexual desire; by the 16th and 17th centuries it acquired a broader literary usage. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, amorous was frequently employed in poetry and sentimental prose to convey idealized passion. The pronunciation shift toward the modern /əˈmɔːrəs/ aligns with general vowel reductions in unstressed syllables and the preserved rhotic 'r' in many dialects. First known use in English attested around the 16th century, with earlier Latin roots tracing the semantic thread of love and desire through European languages.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Amorous" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Amorous" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Amorous"
-ous sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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