3 syllables: Blas, phe, mous. Stress on Blas.
BLAS-fuh-muhs
/ˈblæsfəməs/
Blasphemous is pronounced BLAS-fuh-muhs (/ˈblæsfəməs/). It has three syllables (Blas-phe-mous), with the stress on "Blas". Blasphemous is an adjective describing actions, speech, or ideas that show irreverent or profane lack of reverence for things usually considered sacred. It implies offense to religious sensibilities or sacred symbols, often in a deliberate or shocking way. The term conveys strong disapproval and moral offense in formal or literary contexts.
adjectiveBlasphemous is an adjective describing actions, speech, or ideas that show irreverent or profane lack of reverence for things usually considered sacred. It implies offense to religious sensibilities or sacred symbols, often in a deliberate or shocking way. The term conveys strong disapproval and moral offense in formal or literary contexts.
"Her speech at the ceremony was deemed blasphemous by many attendees."
"The novelist included a blasphemous passage to critique institutional hypocrisy."
"Some critics argued that the film’s blasphemous dialogue undermined its moral message."
Pronounced /ˈblæs.fə.məs/. Start with a stressed BLAS sound: /blæ/. Follow with the schwa /ə/ in the second syllable and finish with /məs/. The overall rhythm is two lighter syllables after the initial stressed beat. Keep the lips relaxed for the /f/ and the /ə/; the final /məs/ should close with a soft /s/.
Common pitfalls include over-stressing the second syllable or turning /ə/ into a full vowel as /eɪ/ or /iː/. Another frequent error is mispronouncing /blæ/ as /bɛ/ or adding an extra syllable like /bləsindəmət/. Correct by maintaining strong initial /blæ/ with a crisp /f/ and a quick, reduced second syllable /fə/ leading into /məs/.
In US/UK/AU, /ˈblæs.fə.məs/ remains similar, but rhoticity can influence the presence of an /r/? No, /r/ is not present. Australian English can have a slightly broader /æ/ and more relaxed /ə/. UK may have a shorter /ə/ and crisper /s/; US often features a more pronounced /æ/ and clear /f/.
The challenge lies in precise syllable reduction and coarticulation: the /æ/ in /blæs/ must be crisp, the /ə/ is a weak mid-central vowel requiring tongue relaxation, and the cluster /s.f/ demands smooth transition. Avoid inserting an extra vowel after /s/ and keep the /məs/ syllable light and quick.
Blasphemous has no silent letters. Every letter contributes to the pronunciation: B-L-A-S-P-H-E-M-O-U-S; the letter combination /sf/ should be produced with a clear /s/ followed by a light /f/ sound.
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Blasphemous comes from the late Middle English blasphemous, deriving from the Old French blasmer, meaning to speak ill of or insult, linked to Latin blasphemare (to speak ill of). The root blas- likely traces to Greek blasphêmá, meaning ‘slandered’ or ‘injury to the sacred.’ Its first appearances in English date to the 13th–15th centuries as theological terms describing offenses against God or sacred things. Over time, the sense broadened from strict religious offense to general irreverence or disparagement of sacred or holy subjects. The word carried strong moral condemnation in religious discourse, which persisted into modern usage in literary and critical contexts. In contemporary English, blasphemous retains its charged nuance but is also used more loosely to describe provocative or irreverent statements in secular settings. The morphological form blends the -ous suffix with the root that signals speech or behavior, paralleling other adjectives like sacrilegious and impious. The word’s emotional weight remains high, especially in discussing taboo topics or controversial media.
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Words that rhyme with "Blasphemous"
-ous sounds
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