Briquettes are compressed blocks of combustible material, such as coal, charcoal, or biomass, used for fueling fires. They are formed to provide a steady, longer-lasting burn than loose fuel. The term also refers to the compacted pieces themselves, often sold as fuel for grills, heaters, or industrial burners.
"We lit the briquettes in the grill and waited for them to ash over."
"The charcoal briquettes burned evenly, giving us steady heat for hours."
"He sells bagged briquettes at the farmers market for campfires."
"During the power outage, we used briquettes to keep the stove going."
Briquettes come from the French briquette, diminutive of brique meaning brick. The word entered English in the 19th century, originally referring to small bricks or blocks of coal, charcoal, or peat formed under pressure. The construction suggests a uniform, brick-like shape designed for efficient burning. The term spread with industrial and domestic fuel use, especially in contexts of improving burning efficiency and reducing smoke. Early adoption linked briquettes to coal chemistry and later to biomass briquettes for sustainable fuels. First known usage cites the formation of compact fuel blocks in the 1800s, with broader usage in the 20th century as grilling and heating adopted standardized briquette sizes.
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Words that rhyme with "Briquettes"
-ets sounds
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Briquettes is pronounced bri-KETS with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /ˈbrɪˌkets/ or /ˈbrɪk.eɪts/? Commonly heard as /ˈbrɪkɛts/ depending on dialect. Say bri- as in brief, then -quettes like 'kets' with a voiceless k + ets blend. For clarity: /ˈbrɪ.kets/ (US) and /ˈbrɪ.kets/ (UK/AU) with a light final z sound in connected speech. You can listen to examples on Pronounce or Forvo to hear subtle vowel length.
Two common errors are misplacing stress and mispronouncing the -ette/ -ettes ending. Some say bri-ETTES or bri-KEts; the correct primary stress is on the first syllable (Bri-), with a smooth transition to -quettes. Ensure the final s is voiced as z in connected speech (/z/), not an unvoiced /s/ or /ɪz/. Another pitfall is a too-long vowel in the first syllable; keep it short as in BRIH. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the pattern: bri-KE-ts vs bri-ET-s.
In US English, the word commonly sounds like /ˈbrɪ.kets/ with a short i and a clear k. In UK and AU accents, you’ll hear /ˈbrɪ.kets/ but with slightly clipped vowels and non-rhoticity in some speakers, affecting preceding r coloring—though briquettes has no rhotic r, so the difference is subtle. The final -s is usually a /z/ sound in all three. Some accents might reduce the first syllable vowels in casual speech to /ə/ or lighter /ɪ/; listen for a crisper onset in US. Audio examples help differentiate these nuances.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster -quettes after the vowel and the trailing /ts/ or /ts/ that often merges with the word boundary. Many learners misplace the syllable boundary or insert an extra vowel. Focus on the transition from /ɪ/ to /k/ to /z/ (or /ts/) in a single syllabic move. Additionally, the unstressed second syllable can blur in rapid speech, so practice slow then speed up while maintaining the -k + s cluster.
The key is the secondary stress on the first syllable bri- and a crisp onset of -kets. Although the first syllable carries primary emphasis, the flow into the -kets segment should feel continuous, not separated. In rapid speech, speakers often reduce the first vowel; aim for a stable /ɪ/ like in 'bit' before the /k/ and /z/. Use fearless practice with minimal pairs to stabilize the rhythm and ensure the /k/ integrates smoothly with the following /z/.
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