2 syllables: cam, pus. Stress on cam.
KAM-puhs
/ˈkæmpəs/
campus is pronounced KAM-puhs (/ˈkæmpəs/). It has two syllables (cam-pus), with the stress on "cam". Campus refers to the grounds and buildings of a college or university, collectively forming its physical environment and community hub. It can also denote a school's main area used for academic and extracurricular activities. The term implies a centralized, often expansive, institutional space that supports learning, living, and social interaction.
Campus refers to the grounds and buildings of a college or university, collectively forming its physical environment and community hub. It can also denote a school's main area used for academic and extracurricular activities. The term implies a centralized, often expansive, institutional space that supports learning, living, and social interaction.
- You might flatten the /æ/ toward a more centralized vowel, making it sound like /kæmpəs/ or /kæmpəs/; focus on a bright, open /æ/ position with the jaw lowered and tongue mid-high. • You can over-shorten or swallow the second syllable vowel; practice with a light schwa /ə/ and a clean /s/ release. • Some speakers push the final /p/ into a tight stop before the /ə/, making it sound abrupt; maintain a small, controlled release and keep the /ə/ light. Practice by segmenting CAM and PUS, then blending smoothly.
"The campus features historic architecture, modern laboratories, and a busy student center."
"Graduates returned to campus for the university's annual homecoming celebration."
"Students gathered on the campus quad to study and chat between classes."
Pronounce as CAM-pəs with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈkæm.pəs/. The second syllable has a reduced vowel, often a schwa. Ensure the /æ/ is a bright, open front vowel and avoid turning it into a lax /æɪ/ or /eɪ/. Tip: keep the jaw slightly dropped for the /æ/ and close the lips just a touch for the schwa in the second syllable. Audio references: Cambridge Dictionary and Forvo offer native speaker examples.
Common errors: 1) Deleting the second syllable vowel, producing /ˈkæmps/; 2) Over-pronouncing the second syllable as /-əs/ with a strong schwa or /ˈkæmpəs/; 3) Blending the two syllables too tightly. Correction: articulate the /ə/ as a light, unstressed schwa in the second syllable and maintain a clear, short /p/ release before the /əs/. Practice by isolating CAM- and -pus, then combining with a gentle pause.
US: rhotacized with /ˈkæm.pəs/. UK: similar, but vowel quality may be crisper; some speakers reduce /æ/ slightly toward /a/ in rapid speech. AU: tends to be similar to US but with less prominent rhoticity in non-rhotic frames, and vowel stretch can vary. Key differences are vowel height of /æ/ and the strength of the final /ɪ/ or /ə/; overall the pattern remains two syllables with primary stress on the first.
The challenge lies in maintaining the short, bright /æ/ before a light, unstressed /ə/ (schwa) in /ˈkæm.pəs/. Many speakers also stumble on the final /pəs/ cluster as the /p/ releases into a soft /ə/; keeping the aperture small for /æ/ and ensuring a clear /p/ release helps clarity. Also, rapid speech can veil the schwa, making it sound like /ˈkæmpəs/; focus on ticking the second syllable with a short, relaxed vowel.
In campu s, the final s is not silent; it carries a light /s/ in careful speech, but in casual speech some might de-emphasize or assimilate to a surrounding consonant, especially after a stressed syllable. The distinct /ə/ in the second syllable should remain perceptible to avoid mixing with a closed syllable. Ensure the second syllable receives a weak, distinct vowel rather than trailing into a silent or doubled consonant.
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- In US accent, emphasize the first syllable with a tense /æ/ and maintain a clear schwa in the second syllable; rhoticity is present, but the final vowel remains unstressed. - In UK RP, the /æ/ may be slightly lower and tenser; the final /əs/ can feel more clipped; ensure the final /s/ is audible. - In Australian English, vowel quality may shift slightly toward a centralized /æ/; keep the first syllable crisp while allowing the second syllable vowel to be softer. Use IPA guides to adjust mouth positions accordingly.
The word campus comes from Latin campus meaning ‘open field’ or ‘expanse of ground’. In Antiquity, campus referred to a field or plain and later to public places near towns and temples. In medieval Latin, campus broadened to denote a field surrounding a monastery, and by the early modern period it denoted the grounds of a university or college. In 16th- to 18th-century Europe, university precincts began to be described as the campus, especially in Italian and Latin-influenced institutions, aligning with the idea of a centralized space for education and collective life. In English, campus appeared in the 18th century to describe the grounds of institutions of higher learning, evolving to include the idea of a campus map, campus life, and the campus tour. The term’s usage expanded globally with the spread of Western higher education, making campus a familiar label for a university’s physical and cultural ecosystem.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "campus" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "campus" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "campus"
-nus sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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