5 syllables: An, nun, ci, a, tion. Stress on ci.
uh-nuhn-SEE-ay-shuhn
/əˌnənˈsiːeɪʃən/
Annunciation is pronounced uh-nuhn-SEE-ay-shuhn (/əˌnənˈsiːeɪʃən/). It has five syllables (An-nun-ci-a-tion), with the stress on "ci". Annunciation is the act or process of announcing or proclaiming, especially the formal announcing of a message, event, or divine revelation. In church and liturgical language it refers to the announcement of a significant event, such as the annunciation of the Virgin Birth. The term also appears in general discourse to describe a clear, formal declaration. It conveys clarity, emphasis, and ceremonious speech.
nounAnnunciation is the act or process of announcing or proclaiming, especially the formal announcing of a message, event, or divine revelation. In church and liturgical language it refers to the announcement of a significant event, such as the annunciation of the Virgin Birth. The term also appears in general discourse to describe a clear, formal declaration. It conveys clarity, emphasis, and ceremonious speech.
"The annunciation of the new policy was delivered with careful articulation."
"Her annunciation of the results was met with applause from the audience."
"In art history, the Annunciation is a common subject depicting the angel Gabriel's message to Mary."
Pronounce as ə-NUN-see-AY-shn. The primary stress falls on the third syllable: nun-SI-a-tion, roughly; more precisely, the stress sits on the 'see-AY' portion: /əˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃn/. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then a light nasal in the second, a clear 'ee' before the 'ay' diphthong, and finish with a soft 'shn' cluster. Lip rounding is modest, with the tongue high for the 'si' and 'eɪ'. For audio reference, search pronunciation guides or dictionary entries with IPA: /əˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən/ in some varieties.”,
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (placing emphasis on 'nun' or 'sa' instead of 'eɪ-ʃn'), and mispronouncing the final -tion as 'shun' or 'tʃən' overly strongly. A second frequent mistake is merging syllables too quickly, turning ‘nun-see-AY-shn’ into ‘nun-see-ay-shn’ with a truncated final consonant cluster. Correct by maintaining a clear separation: ə-NUN-si-AY-shn, with the final 'shn' softened and the 'ay' as a crisp diphthong. Practice with slow tempo and compare to a model saying it in a ceremonial tone.”,
In US, UK, and AU, the word keeps the three-syllable rhythm, but vowel quality shifts: US and UK typically realize the ‘ay’ as /eɪ/, with rhotic or non-rhotic influence affecting nearby vowels in connected speech. US tends to rhyme with /eɪʃn/ endings in fast connected speech, UK may display slightly tighter final syllable with less aggressive r-coloring (UK is often non-rhotic). Australian often features a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a slightly broader, lateral accent on the final /ən/. Overall stress pattern remains on the third syllable: ə-NUN-si-ˈeɪ-ʃn across dialects, with subtle vowel shifts.”,
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic structure and the final -tion cluster, which in English is pronounced as a syllabic or reduced 'ʃən' shade. The transition from the stressed 'si' to the unstressed 'ʃn' requires precise timing. The 'ay' diphthong demands a clean glide from /eɪ/ to /ʃ/ without slurring. Additionally, the initial 'a' sound is a weak schwa, which can be overlooked in rapid speech. Focus on segmenting: ə-NUN-si-ˈeɪ-ʃn, practice slowly, then speed up while preserving clarity.”,
A distinctive feature is the 'nn' sequence followed by 'si', where the /n/ sound links into /s/ without forming an intrusive nasal. This creates a three-consonant transition (n-s) that can blur in fast speech. Also, the second syllable 'si' uses a high front vowel close to /iː/ in some dialects, but in many it remains /si/; the following diphthong /eɪ/ requires a crisp onset. Emphasize the syllable boundary and keep the 'n' clear before the 's'.
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Annunciation comes from Middle English annunciacioun, from Old French annunciacion, from Latin annuntiāre ‘to announce’, from annuntius ‘news, message’. The Latin verb annuntiare is a compound of ad- ‘toward’ + nuntiare ‘to announce, declare’, itself related to nuntius ‘messenger’. The word entered English in the medieval period with religious contexts, notably related to the event in Christian tradition when the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus. By the 14th century, annunciation began to be used for general formal declarations as well, preserving its sense of an official or ceremonial announcement. Over centuries, the pronunciation stabilized into three primary stress patterns in English, and the meaning broadened from strictly religious announcements to any formal declaration or proclamation. In modern usage, it is common in both liturgical and secular contexts, though the pronunciation and cadence can reflect the formality of the setting. First known use in English documents traces to around the 14th century, paralleling the rise of formal religious and civic communications. The term has remained relatively stable in spelling while its phonetic realization has adapted to contemporary English phonology in different regions.
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Words that rhyme with "Annunciation"
-ion sounds
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