2 syllables: bish, ops. Stress on bish.
BISH-uhps
/ˈbɪʃəps/
bishops is pronounced BISH-uhps (/ˈbɪʃəps/). It has two syllables (bish-ops), with the stress on "bish". Bishops refers to plural of bishop, a senior church official in many Christian denominations, or, in chess, the bishop piece. The word also appears in various idioms and titles. It is pronounced with a short I and a voiceless final s, forming two syllables that flow quickly in connected speech.
Bishops refers to plural of bishop, a senior church official in many Christian denominations, or, in chess, the bishop piece. The word also appears in various idioms and titles. It is pronounced with a short I and a voiceless final s, forming two syllables that flow quickly in connected speech.
- Misplacing stress by spreading it over both syllables, producing BI-SHOPS; correction: keep primary stress on first syllable BI- and reduce the second syllable. - Lengthening the second vowel: avoid /iː/; correction: use /ə/ or /ɒ/ depending on accent. - Glottal stop or heavy /p/: maintain a clean /p/ before /s/ with no extra glottal stop; practice by saying /ˈbɪʃəps/ with a crisp /p/ release.
"The bishops gathered to discuss parish strategy and community outreach."
"In chess, the bishop moves diagonally across the board."
"An archbishop might oversee several bishops within a province."
Pronounce it as /ˈbɪʃəps/ (US) or /ˈbɪʃɒps/ (UK/AU). Start with BI as in bit, then /ʃ/ as in ship, followed by a quick unstressed /ə/ (schwa) and the final /ps/ cluster. Keep the /s/ voiceless and light. In fast speech, the second syllable may blur to /-əps/.
Common errors: pronouncing the second syllable as /iː/ or /i/ (BI-sheeps) and misplacing the /p/ or making /bɪʃɒps/ into /bɪʃɒps/ with a heavy n. Correction: keep the vowel in the first syllable short /ɪ/; reduce the second syllable to a quick /ə/; release the /p/ before /s/ cleanly: /ˈbɪʃəps/. Practice by saying BI-shəps, then BI-ships with reduced vowel and final s.
US: /ˈbɪʃəps/ with a sharper /ə/ and non-rhotic r not involved. UK/AU: /ˈbɪʃɒps/ or /ˈbɪʡɒps/ with more back rounded /ɒ/; rhoticity not applicable in most cases. Australians may lean toward /ˈbɪʃɒps/ but with less rounded /ɒ/ and shorter /ə/; the /ps/ cluster is retained in all. The main difference is the vowel quality in the second syllable and slight vowel length.
It challenges two clusters: the final /ps/ consonant blend and the reduced, unstressed secondary syllable. The /ʃ/ in the middle can be subtle, and you must keep the second syllable light (/ə/ or /ɒ/) without adding an overt vowel. The result is a compact two-syllable word where the speed of transition between /ʃ/ and /ə/ or /ɒ/ matters.
A unique feature is the concise, unstressed second syllable: /ə/ or /ɒ/ determining rhythm. The word relies on a clean /ʃ/ and a light /p/ before /s/. It is often slurred in rapid speech, so you’ll hear /ˈbɪʃəps/ as a stable core. Focusing on the /ʃ/ and the quick /ə/ before /p/ helps anchor the word.
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- US: /ˈbɪʃəps/ with a shorter, lax /ɪ/ in the first syllable, schwa-like /ə/ in the second. - UK/AU: /ˈbɪʃɒps/ with a broader /ɒ/ and less rounded lips; keep /ɒ/ relatively open. - General tip: keep the /ʃ/ sound strong but not exaggerated; the transition from /ʃ/ to /ə/ or /ɒ/ should be smooth and quick. - IPA references: US /ˈbɪʃəps/; UK/AU /ˈbɪʃɒps/. - Ensure non-rhoticity is not assumed; the final /s/ is voiceless.
Bishop derives from Old English bisceop, from Latin episcopus, from Greek episcopos, meaning overseer or superintendent. The Greek term episcopos is composed of epi- (over) + skopein (to look or inspect). The Latin episcopus entered English via Old French episcop, then Old English bisceop, with variations in spelling and pronunciation over time. In medieval English, the word always referred to a church office; in ecclesiastical contexts it retained reverence. The sense broadened in chess around 15th century Europe, borrowing the metaphor of a bishop moving diagonally across a board, which aligns with the religious role of guiding or overseeing. The plural bishops appeared as the singular form gradually took a plural sense; the modern spelling has remained stable since Early Modern English. The word’s pronunciation settled to /ˈbɪʃəps/ in contemporary English, with the vowel in the first syllable reflecting a short i, the second syllable reduced to a schwa, and the final s as a voiceless fricative, mirroring the orthographic cluster -sh- before -ops. First known use in English is documented in medieval church writings and law codes, where bishops are repeatedly referenced as authorities within dioceses, reflecting the term’s long-standing ecclesiastical significance.
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Words that rhyme with "bishops"
-lip sounds
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