2 syllables: Butt, ocks. Stress on Butt.
BUHT-uhks
/ˈbʌtəks/
Buttocks is pronounced BUHT-uhks (/ˈbʌtəks/). It has two syllables (Butt-ocks), with the stress on "Butt". Buttocks is a plural noun referring to the two rounded portions of your anatomy that form the posterior of the pelvis; commonly called the butt. Used in casual and clinical contexts, it denotes the fleshy area at the top of the legs and bottom of the back, important in discussions of movement, posture, or clothing fit. The term emphasizes etiquette: more formal alternatives include gluteal region or gluteal muscles in clinical contexts.
nounButtocks is a plural noun referring to the two rounded portions of your anatomy that form the posterior of the pelvis; commonly called the butt. Used in casual and clinical contexts, it denotes the fleshy area at the top of the legs and bottom of the back, important in discussions of movement, posture, or clothing fit. The term emphasizes etiquette: more formal alternatives include gluteal region or gluteal muscles in clinical contexts.
"She wore jeans that fit snugly around her buttocks."
"The doctor examined the buttocks for signs of bruising after the fall."
"He sat down carefully to avoid pressing on his buttocks."
Pronounce as /ˈbʌtˌɒks/ in US English or /ˈbʌtəks/ in many UK contexts; stress typically falls on the first syllable, with a light secondary release on -tocks. The first syllable is a short, open /ʌ/ like 'cup', and the second syllable reduces to /ɒ/ or /ə/ depending on accent. Picture the lips relaxed, jaw slightly dropped for /ʌ/, then a quick, clipped /t/ followed by /ɒ/ or /ə/ before a final /ks/. Audio reference: consult Cambridge or Oxford pronunciation entries for [buttocks], or Forvo user pronunciations.
Common errors include pronouncing the second syllable as a full /ɒk/ with a hard /k/ release (like ‘bottocks’) or flattening the vowel to a schwa in American fast speech (/ˈbɜːtəks/). To correct: keep the first vowel short /ʌ/ and ensure the /t/ is a clean, light tap before the final /ɒ/ or /ə/; avoid adding an extra syllable or prolonging the vowel in the second syllable. Practice with /ˈbʌtˌɒks/ or /ˈbʌtəks/ to match your accent and speak with a crisp /t/ before /ks/.
In US English you typically hear /ˈbʌtˌɒks/ with a clear /ɒ/ in the second syllable; in many UK accents you might get /ˈbʌt.təks/ or /ˈbʌtʃəks/ with a reduced second vowel and a lighter /t/; Australian English often aligns with /ˈbʌtəks/ with a schwa or near-open /ɐ/ in the second syllable and a non-rhotic, but some speakers preserve a quick /ɒ/ before /ks/. Focus on a short, clipped /t/ and a fast release into the second syllable; mouth position shifts slightly with accent.
Two tricky parts are the consonant cluster -tocks after a stressed first syllable and the short, sometimes reduced vowel in the second syllable. The /t/ can be t-voiced or flapped in rapid speech, and the final /ks/ cluster requires a quick stop and voiceless sibilant transition. To master: practice a crisp /t/ release, keep the second syllable short (/ɒ/ or /ə/), and finish with a clean /ks/. Include IPA guidance and slow-down drills.
No letters are truly silent in standard English pronunciation of buttocks. The primary stress sits on the first syllable: BUT-tocks. The second syllable is light, with a quick transition into /ks/. In careful speech you may hear a slightly longer first syllable or a very light /t/ release before the /ks/. The key is ensuring you do not underplay the first syllable or overemphasize the second syllable.
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Buttocks derives from Middle English buttokens, a diminutive plural of buttok, itself an alteration of butt + -ok, with influences from Old French bute ‘a final push or strike’ and Latin botua ‘a lump or swelling’ through later anatomical sense shifts. The term began to appear in English medical and anatomical contexts in the 16th century, referring to the fleshy, rounded portions of the buttocks that cushion the body during sitting and movement. By the 18th and 19th centuries, buttocks solidified as the standard term in anatomy and everyday speech, while women’s fashion and bodybuilding discourse popularized references to gluteal muscles and the glutes in medical, athletic, and artistic domains. The modern use spans informal speech (buttocks) to clinical terminology (gluteus maximus, gluteal region), with “buttocks” remaining the everyday, non-technical term preferred in most social contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Buttocks"
-cks sounds
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