3 syllables: Cel, si, us. Stress on Cel.
SEL-see-uhs
/ˈsɛlsiəs/
Celsius is pronounced SEL-see-uhs (/ˈsɛlsiəs/). It has three syllables (Cel-si-us), with the stress on "Cel". Celsius is a noun denoting a unit of temperature on the Celsius scale, used globally in scientific and everyday contexts. It also refers to the Celsius scale’s inventor, Anders Celsius, and by extension to things related to this scale. The term is commonly used in discussions of weather, science, and education, with pronunciation that emphasizes two syllables and a soft c starting the word.
nounCelsius is a noun denoting a unit of temperature on the Celsius scale, used globally in scientific and everyday contexts. It also refers to the Celsius scale’s inventor, Anders Celsius, and by extension to things related to this scale. The term is commonly used in discussions of weather, science, and education, with pronunciation that emphasizes two syllables and a soft c starting the word.
- You may tend to flatten the middle /zi/ into a quick /zɪ/; fix by keeping a brief /i/ vowel between /z/ and /i/ so you hear /ˈsɛl.zi.əs/. - Avoid merging the second and third syllables into a single syllable; practice segmenting CEL-si-us clearly. Use slow repetitions to reinforce the three distinct beats. - Don’t turn the final /əs/ into /əs/ or /əs/ with no vowel; maintain a light /ɪəs/ ending to keep the final syllable audible. - When in doubt, practice with minimal pairs that emphasize the middle /z/ vs /s/ to secure the voiced fricative sound.
How to Pronounce Celsius
"The weather report today is 25 degrees Celsius."
"Anders Celsius created the temperature scale in the 18th century."
"Scientists measure the sample’s temperature in Celsius for consistency."
Pronounce as CEL-see-us, with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈsɛl.zi.əs/ in US, /ˈsel.si.əs/ in UK/AU. Begin with a clear /s/ followed by short /e/ as in ‘bed’, then a light /l/ and /z/ in the second syllable, ending with a soft /ɪ.əs/ cluster. Think of saying ‘CEL’ (like sell) + ‘see’ + ‘us’ quickly. Audio references: consult a reputable dictionary or pronunciation site for native speaker examples.
Common errors include overemphasizing the second syllable or mispronouncing the third as a hard /s/ instead of a soft /z/ sound. Another frequent issue is reducing the final -ius to a simple /ɪəs/ or /əs/. Correct these by keeping primary stress on the first syllable and maintaining a clear /z/ in the middle: /ˈsɛl.zi.əs/; avoid turning it into /ˈsɛl.sɪ.əs/ or /ˈsɛl.zəs/.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈsɛl.zi.əs/ with a clearly voiced /z/ in the middle and a slightly tense first vowel. UK/AU varieties often render the second syllable as /si/ and the final as /əs/ with a softer, quicker ending: /ˈsel.si.əs/. The rhotics don’t substantially affect Celsius, but vowel quality can differ: US /ɛ/ vs UK /e/ in the first vowel; AU tends toward a compact, clipped final –s with less vowel reduction. IPA references help compare subtle vowel shifts.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm and the /z/ between two vowel sounds, which can blur in fast speech. Some speakers blend the middle /zi/ into /ziɪ/ or drop the middle vowel slightly, making it sound like /ˈsɛl.siəs/ or /ˈsɛls jəs/. Additionally, non-native speakers may neutralize the final /əs/ or misplace the primary stress, saying /ˈsel.si.əs/ with the stress on the second syllable.
A unique question could be: Does the final -ius in Celsius affect pronunciation when preceded by a vowel? The answer: in standard English pronunciation, the suffix -ius contributes to the final /əs/ with a light onset, and you should keep it distinct from the preceding vowel, so the sequence remains /ˈsɛl.zi.əs/. This is a subtle but important point for accurate, native-like pronunciation.
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- US: emphasize the first syllable with a clear /ɛ/ and a strong /z/ in the middle; keep final /əs/ light and short. - UK: mid vowels lean toward /e/ in the first syllable, with a slightly shorter middle vowel; maintain /z/ voice and end with a soft /əs/. - AU: tends to have tighter vowel space and a more compact ending; focus on a crisp /z/ and a less pronounced off-glide in the final /əs/. - IPA references: US /ˈsɛl.zi.əs/, UK /ˈsel.si.əs/, AU /ˈsel.si.əs/.
Celsius originates from the surname of Anders Celsius, a Swedish astronomer and physicist who proposed a temperature scale in 1742. The name entered English through scientific discourse referencing his scale, which originally reversed the 0/100 endpoints and was later standardized to the current base-100, with 0°C representing the freezing point of water and 100°C the boiling point at 1 atmosphere of pressure. The term thus denotes both the unit and the scale, and has since become a global standard for measuring temperature in the scientific and everyday contexts. The word’s pronunciation has remained relatively stable, with emphasis typically on the first syllable, and the “s” sound clarified as an initial /s/ (as in seat). The entry of Celsius into common language reflects the broader adoption of metric systems in Europe and around the world during the 18th and 19th centuries, along with ongoing usage in weather reporting, education, and scientific literature.
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Words that rhyme with "Celsius"
-ius sounds
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