Cabochon is a smooth, rounded gemstone cut without facets, often polished to a glossy dome. It typically serves as a decorative centerpiece or gemstone setting, valued for its even color and translucency rather than sparkle. The term also describes a similarly polished, convex gem shape used in jewelry designs and lapidary contexts.
US: flatter 'ə' in first syllable; rhoticity minimal in careful speech. UK/AU: more precise /æ/ in first syllable, non-rhoticity may reduce the audible r-coloring; ensure the second syllable uses a rounded /ɒ/ with clear /tʃ/ or /ʃ/ blend. Focus on the transitional mouth positions from /ə/ to /bɒ/ to /ʃən/. IPA references: /kəˈboʊʃən/ vs /ˈkæbəˌtʃɒn/.
"The ring showcased a luminous cabochon sapphire encased in a delicate bezel."
"She favored cabochon-cut stones for their soft, velvety glow rather than sharp brilliance."
"The jeweler explained that a cabochon requires a different cutting technique than faceted stones."
"Ancient jewelry often features cabochon gems, prized for their smooth surface and color depth."
Cabochon comes from French caboche, meaning 'head' or 'stone', with the diminutive suffix -on, and was adopted into English in the 19th century to describe a rounded, polished gem shape that is not faceted. The concept predates modern gem-cutting, reflecting traditional lapidary practice where stones were shaped into smooth domes to maximize color and translucency rather than sparkle. The spelling cabochon aligns with French pronunciation, though English usage often anglicizes the final n. The term’s first known uses appear in English jewelry and mineralology texts of the 1800s as trade terminology for non-faceted domed stones. Over time, cabochon has become a standard descriptor across gemology catalogs and jewelry design literature, signaling a specific cut style rather than a mineral species.
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Words that rhyme with "Cabochon"
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Pronounce as kah-boh-shon (US: kə-ˈbȯ-shən). The primary stress is on the second syllable, with a clear 'o' as in 'cone' and a soft 'sh' before the final 'n'. IPA: US: kə-ˈbɒ-ʃɒn or kə-ˈbɔː-ʃɒn depending on speaker; UK/AU lean toward /ˈkæb.əˌʃɒn/ or /kæ.bəˈɒtʃ.ɒn/ with less emphasis on the first vowel. Audio reference: consult pronunciation resources such as Pronounce or Forvo for authentic regional variants.
Common errors: 1) Missing syllable or misplacing the stress (say ca-BO-shon rather than ca-BO-chon or KO-boh-shən). 2) Slurring the second vowel into a schwa or reducing it to a simple ‘a’ or ‘o’ sound (use a clear 'o' as in 'cone'). 3) Pronouncing the final 'on' as a hard 'n' without the preceding 'ɒʃ' sound (avoid ending with a plain ‘n’; the ending is -ʃən). Correct by practicing kə-BOH-shon with steady vowel quality and a voiced bilabial onset for the second syllable.
US typically uses kə-ˈbä-shən with a flat r-less vowel in some speakers and a rhotacized influence only in connected speech; the second syllable often has an open o as in 'bowl'. UK/AU tend toward /ˈkæ.bəˌɒtʃ.ɒn/ with a longer second vowel and less emphasis on the final nasal, and may articulate the 'tʃ' more distinctly as 'tʃ' in the middle. Vowel quality shifts: /ɒ/ vs /ɒː/ depending on regional vowel length; while rhoticity is minor in both, non-rhotic varieties can make the second syllable less pronounced in careful speech.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic stress pattern and the preserved 'ō' quality, plus the 'ch' cluster sounding like 'sh' but followed by a nasal 'n' making the ending blend: -ʃən. Learners often misplace stress to the first or third syllable and mispronounce the second vowel as a short 'a' or 'o'. Practice focused on the central stress, and ensure the '-ochon' segment uses a clean 'o' vowel followed by a soft 'sh' + 'ən' sequence. IPA anchors help guide tongue position.
In Cabochon, the 'ch' is pronounced as the 'sh' sound followed by a soft 'n' (like 'shun' in English). It is not a hard 'k' nor the 'tʃ' as in chair. The sequence is /-ʃən/ after the stressed vowel. So it sounds like kah-boh-shon or ka-bo-shon depending on dialect. Visualize it as a smooth 'shun' ending that glides quickly into the final nasal.
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