Annuities are financial contracts that provide a stream of payments, typically funded upfront or over time, to individuals either for life or a specified period. They are designed to convert a corpus of money into steady income, often for retirement. In broader terms, annuities function as insurance-like products combining investment and payout features.
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US: rhotic; vowels tend to be shorter. UK/AU: slightly longer vowel qualities and less rhotic influence in some regions. • Vowel clarity: ensure /æ/ or /æ/ is crisp in US; in UK/AU, the /ju/ is pronounced as in “new” without heavy rounding. • Final /iz/ may become /iːz/ in some speakers; keep /t/ release strong before /z/. • Use IPA cues /ˈæn.ju.ɪ.tiz/ (US) vs /ˈæ.njuː.ɪ.tiːz/ (UK/AU).
"She purchased an annuity to guarantee a steady retirement income."
"The insurer offers several annuities with different payout options and rider features."
"We evaluated fixed and variable annuities before settling on a plan."
"The financial advisor explained how annuities can complement other retirement assets."
Annuity derives from Middle English anuite, from Old French anuité, from Latin annuitas, from annuus meaning year. The term captured the concept of a yearly payment in perpetuity or for a defined term. The Latin root annus (year) evolves into annuitas (yearly stipend) by adding -itas (quality or state). In medieval and early modern finance, annuities referred to payments due at regular yearly intervals, often tied to land rents or clerical stipends. As insurance and investment products developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, the term broadened to denote contracts that convert money into a stream of payments, either for life or a fixed period. In contemporary usage, annuities encompass a range of products including fixed, variable, indexed, and immediate annuities, with legal and regulatory frameworks shaping their design and payout mechanics. First known use in English dates to the late 14th century, with the modern financial sense crystallizing in the 19th century as actuarial science formalized lifetime income models.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "annuities" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "annuities" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "annuities"
-ies sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈæn.ju.ɪ.tiz/ (US), /ˈæ.njuː.ɪ.tiːz/ (UK), /ˈæ.njuː.ɪ.tiːz/ (AU). Primary stress on the first syllable: AN-i-yu-i-ties. The middle is a short ‘i’ or reduced vowel; end with /tiz/. Keep the final z sound clear. You can listen to native examples on Forvo or YouGlish for nuance.
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress, saying ann-YOO-i-ties or an-YOO-i-ties; (2) pronouncing the middle as /juː/ instead of /ju/; (3) final -ies pronounced as /iːz/ vs /ɪz/. Correction: place primary stress on AN-, use /ˈæn.ju.ɪ.tiz/ or /ˈæ.njuː.ɪ.tiːz/, ensure terminal /z/ at the end, and reduce the middle vowel before -i- to a light /ɪ/ or /i/.
US typically /ˈæn.ju.ɪ.tiz/ with rhotic r-neutral vowels; UK tends to /ˈæ.njuː.ɪ.tiːz/ with a longer /juː/ and less rhoticity in some regions; AU often /ˈæ.njuː.ɪ.tiːz/ with vowel height closer to UK and flatter rhotics. Vocalic length and diphthong quality vary: US uses shorter /æ/ before n, UK/AU may have a longer /æ/ or /aː/ in some dialects. Listen to examples to capture regional flavor.
Two main challenges: (1) r-controlled or schwa-like middle vowel in multi-syllable words; (2) final cluster -tiːz vs -tiz that requires crisp voicing and sibilant. The combination of /æ/ or /æ/ before /nj/ and the /t/ plus final /z/ can blur in fast speech. Practice by isolating segments: AN- vyoo-ih-TEEZ and ensure the final z is ple atic and not swallowed.
The sequence -j- in the middle creates a palatal glide /j/ after the first consonant; ensure /ju/ is a single syllabic unit rather than two distinct consonants. This prevents splitting the word into ann-u-IT-ez; keep /ju/ together as a light, quick glide.
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