Census is a count or enumeration of a population, typically collecting demographic details for a specific area. It also refers to the official government survey or the act of conducting such a count. Used in political, administrative, and statistical contexts to inform policy and planning.
- Common Mistake 1: Overpronouncing the second syllable, saying /ˈsen.ses/ with a full /e/ in the final ed, which makes it sound unnatural. Correction: keep the second syllable reduced to /səs/ with a barely audible schwa. - Common Mistake 2: In rapid speech, collapsing /n/ into the following /s/ resulting in /ˈsensəs/. Practice by isolating the two consonants: /n/ and /s/ clearly, then blend. - Common Mistake 3: Misplacing stress, saying /ˈsɛn.səs/ with stress on the second syllable. Correction: maintain primary stress on first syllable: /ˈsen.səs/. Use a light tempo and emphasize the first vowel. - Tip: Record yourself saying “census data” and ensure the rhythm emphasizes census first, then data; this helps you avoid over- or under-emphasizing the final vowel.
- US: Rhotic influence is minimal in the word itself; keep /r/ out of it, focus on short /e/ and a clean /ˈsen/. - UK: Slightly crisper /e/ and lighter final /ə/; keep the /s/ crisp; sounds lean in careful speech. - AU: Vowel height slightly centralized; maintain a relaxed /ə/ in final; ensure the /n/ and /s/ transitions are smooth. - Vowel notes: first syllable uses a short e as in bed; final syllable reduces to /ə/ or /ə s/ depending on pace. - IPA references: /ˈsen.səs/ for all three varieties in steady, careful speech.
"The government conducts a census every ten years to update population statistics."
"She answered the census questionnaire online to ensure accurate demographic data."
"Researchers used census data to analyze urban growth and migration patterns."
"A local census helps determine the distribution of regional funding and services."
Census comes from the Latin census, meaning a registered list, register, or account. The term originates from the Latin verb censere, meaning to assess, to rate, or to think. In ancient Rome, a census was a formal register of citizens and property used for taxation and military service; it involved counting people and evaluating property values. The use of census to describe a population count became common in English in the 16th–17th centuries, reflecting its bureaucratic and statistical connotations. Over time, the word broadened to denote any official count of individuals, populations, or items. The modern sense, tied to systematic data collection for governance and planning, emerged with the growth of administrative states and statistical science. First known English usage traces to late Middle English or Early Modern English documents, aligning with the expansion of government-record-keeping practices in Europe. In contemporary use, “census” is almost exclusively associated with national population surveys conducted by governments or international agencies.
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Help others use "Census" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Census" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Census"
-nse sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Census is pronounced /ˈsen.səs/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: CEN-sus. Start with a clear /s/ followed by a short /e/ as in 'bed', then a soft /n/. The second syllable uses a schwa /ə/ sound in unstressed position. For audio reference, listen to standard dictionaries or pronunciation videos with /ˈsen.səs/. Mouth position: lips neutral, tongue high for the initial /s/ and mid-front for /e/, then a relaxed tongue for the /n/ and a reduced /ə/ in the final syllable.
Two common errors: 1) Over-emphasizing the second syllable, making it /ˈsen.ses/ or /ˈsen.səs/ with a closed final vowel. 2) Reducing the first syllable to /ˈsen-/ or slurring the /n/ into the following vowel. Correction: keep the first syllable crisp: /ˈsen/ with a short e, then move to the unstressed /səs/ in the second syllable. Practice by alternating: /ˈsen.səs/ vs /ˈsen.ses/ to feel the schwa and the light /s/ in the final syllable.
US/UK/AU share /ˈsen.səs/ but vowel quality can differ slightly: US often has a slightly tenser /e/ in the first syllable and a more centralized schwa in the second; UK English may have a lighter /e/ and a crisper /s/ in the final syllable; Australian English tends to be vowel-smoothed with a more centralized final /ə/. In all, the rhythm remains CEN-sus, with minor vowel shifts and rhoticity differences more noticeable in surrounding words than in census itself.
The challenge lies in the unstressed second syllable and the schwa in the final syllable, which can blur in rapid speech. The first syllable /ˈsen/ requires a short e, not a long e, and the final /səs/ invites vowel reduction in connected speech. Some speakers over-articulate the second syllable, which disrupts the natural rhythm. Focus on keeping the final /ə/ understated and the second /s/ soft.
Census features a classic two-syllable, unstressed-final pattern where the second syllable is reduced to /səs/. The only subtle complexity is the rapid transition from /n/ to the final /s/ to /ə/ in connected speech. Practically, you’ll often hear /ˈsen.səs/ with a very light, almost muted final vowel in fast talk, so aim for a quick, soft /ə/ and a lightly spoken final /s/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Census"!
- Shadowing: Listen to a native speaker saying “census” in a sentence and repeat immediately, matching rhythm, vowel quality, and final schwa. - Minimal pairs: compare census with censa? (not a standard word) but you can pair with “sense” /sɛns/ and “census” /ˈsen.səs/ to feel rhyme and length; practice with “dense” /dɛns/ as a rhyme anchor to perceive difference in final vowel. - Rhythm: Practice the metrical pattern: strong-weak, then weak-weak with quiet final vowel. - Stress: Keep main stress on first syllable; practice with a phrase like “the census results” to feel the rhythm. - Speed progression: start slow (0.5x), move to normal, then 1.5x. - Context sentences: “The census counts every resident.” “A census is an essential tool for policy.” - Recording: Use your phone to compare your pronunciation to a native sample; adjust tempo and vowel quality accordingly.
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