4 syllables: A, voir, du, pois. Stress on du.
av-uhr-DOOP-woyz
/ˌævərˈduːpwɔɪz/
Avoirdupois is pronounced av-uhr-DOOP-woyz (/ˌævərˈduːpwɔɪz/). It has four syllables (A-voir-du-pois), with the stress on "du". Avoirdupois is a historical system of weights used in the common avoirdupois pound (16 ounces) and larger units, originating in France and adopted in England. It describes a set of customary weights and a decimal-based framework that evolved from medieval weights. The term also denotes the system itself, as distinct from troy or apothecaries’ measures.
nounAvoirdupois is a historical system of weights used in the common avoirdupois pound (16 ounces) and larger units, originating in France and adopted in England. It describes a set of customary weights and a decimal-based framework that evolved from medieval weights. The term also denotes the system itself, as distinct from troy or apothecaries’ measures.
"The avoirdupois system became the standard for most everyday weights in the English-speaking world."
"Historically, merchants used avoirdupois to weigh goods, long before metric units were widespread."
"In antiquity, the term referred to a weight standard based on a pound of around 0.4536 kilograms in modern terms."
Pronounce as AV-ər-DOO-pwoys (IPA US: /ˈævwərdjuˌpwɑː/ or /ˈævwɚˌduːpwɔː/ depending on speaker). Primary stress falls on the second syllable: a-VOOR-dupois. Start with a short, crisp ‘a’ or ‘æ’, then an /v/ followed by a schwa and a rolled or approximant /r/ for US/UK variants; the ‘dupois’ ending rhymes with ‘buoys’ or ‘ploys’ as in -dupois /-djuːˈpwɑː/ in non-rhotic accents. To check accuracy, listen to an online dictionary audio and mimic the rounded lips for the /uː/ and the final /aʊ/ or /ɑː/.
Common errors: 1) Stress misplacement, saying a-VOIR-du-POIS or a-VOIR-du-PWAS; keep main stress on the second syllable. 2) Mispronouncing ‘dupois’ as ‘doe-poys’ instead of /ˈdjuːˌpwɑː/ or /ˈduːpwɔː/. 3) Vowel quality in the first syllable; use a clear /æ/ or /ə/ sound rather than a drawn-out /ɑː/. Correct by practicing the sequence a-VOOR-du-pois with consistent /j/ /pw/ cluster in the last syllable.
In US English you’ll hear ˈævərˌduːˌpwɔɪz or ˈævərˈduːpwɔs, with rhotics present and a clear /æ/ in the first vowel. UK English tends toward non-rhotic realization: /ˈæv.əˌdjuːˈpwɔː/ with more fronted /ə/-like schwa and a longer /ɔː/ at the end. Australian English favors a rounded /ɔː/ and a slightly longer /juː/ in the middle, still stressing the second syllable: /ˈævərˌdjuːˈpwɔː/. In all, the linking consonants /r/ are less pronounced in UK/AU; US keeps a rhotic /r/.
The difficulty comes from the French-derived sequence dupois and the consonant cluster /dv/ that appears in some pronunciations, plus the /j/ sound before the /u/ in /djuː/ or /duː/. The diphthongization and the two strong syllables can trip speakers, especially with non-rhotic accents that alter r-coloring. The initial vague vowel in the first syllable and the final /pwä/ or /pwɔː/ require careful mouth shaping and ear training to maintain accuracy. Practice with IPA cues and audio examples.
No, the final 's' in pois is silent in standard pronunciation, as the ending is /pwɑː/ or /pwɔː/ depending on accent. The s is not voiced; it’s part of the French orthography that yields the /ɑː/ or /ɔː/ vowel. The trailing sound is a rounded back vowel rather than an /s/ or /z/ sound. This quirk often causes confusion for learners who expect plural-s pronunciation.
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Avoirdupois originates from Old French avoir de pois, literally meaning “goods of weight” or “property of weight.” The phrase likely merged in the Middle Ages to describe a standardized weight used in commerce. The noun form emerged by the 13th-14th centuries, with the modern spelling consolidating by Early Modern English. The system was widely adopted in England and later adopted internationally through colonial trade, becoming the de facto standard pound and ounce for everyday commerce until metricization. The key concept is a body of weights based on a pound (16 ounces) of approximately 0.45359237 kilograms. The term reflects a fusion of French legal language and English mercantile practice, evolving from a descriptive phrase into a technical term in metrology.
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Words that rhyme with "Avoirdupois"
-oys sounds
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