3 syllables: chair, per, son. Stress on chair.
CHER-pur-suhn
/ˈtʃɛˌɹpɝsən/
chairperson is pronounced CHER-pur-suhn (/ˈtʃɛˌɹpɝsən/). It has three syllables (chair-per-son), with the stress on "chair". Chairperson refers to the presiding officer of a meeting or organization, typically a person who leads discussions and sets agendas. The term is gender-neutral, a blend of chair and president, and is used in formal and organizational contexts. Its pronunciation emphasizes the first syllable, with a clear /tʃ/ onset and a lightly stressed final syllable in most uses.
Chairperson refers to the presiding officer of a meeting or organization, typically a person who leads discussions and sets agendas. The term is gender-neutral, a blend of chair and president, and is used in formal and organizational contexts. Its pronunciation emphasizes the first syllable, with a clear /tʃ/ onset and a lightly stressed final syllable in most uses.
- You often flatten the initial /tʃ/ to a simple /t/ or /dʒ/ sound. Tip: practice with your lips and tongue in a cluster: touch the upper blade behind the teeth before releasing a quick /tʃ/ release. - The vowels in the first syllable can be over-centralized: keep /eə/ or /ɛə/ depending on accent. Practice with a slow mouth stretching drill: /tʃeə/ sounds; - Final syllable can be overly clipped; aim for /sən/ rather than /sən/ with extra 'n'. To fix: slow down the vowel and nasal; release the final syllable softly without voicing extra consonants. - Stress placement mistakes: keep primary stress on the first syllable; secondary stress on the third, but avoid turning the second syllable into heavy stress. - Practice with minimal pairs like chair- vs share-to ensure the /tʃ/ onset is precise and not conflated with /ʃ/.
"The chairperson opened the annual meeting and reviewed the agenda."
"A bipartisan chairperson guided the debate to ensure fair time for all speakers."
"The chairperson announced the results and thanked the volunteers for their work."
Pronounce it as /ˈtʃeə(r)ˌpɜːr.sən/ in UK and US forms. The primary stress sits on the first syllable “chair” with a clear /tʃ/ onset, followed by a lighter, secondary stress on the “per” syllable. The final “son” is reduced to /sən/ or /sən/ in casual speech. For IPA reference: US /ˈtʃɛrˌpɜːrsən/ and UK /ˈtʃeəˌpɜːsən/. In rapid speech, you may hear the vowel height shift slightly toward /eə/ or /eəɹ/ depending on the speaker. Audio resources from Pronounce or Forvo can help with feel.
Common errors include flattening the /tʃ/ into a simple consonant like /t/ or /dʒ/, softening the diphthong in the first syllable to a flat /e/; and over- or under-emphasizing the final syllable, leading to /ˈtʃeərpɜːrsən/ with misplaced stress. Correction: keep the initial /tʃ/ as a single palatal affricate, ensure the first syllable carries primary stress, and pronounce the final “son” as /sən/ rather than /zən/. Practice slow, then blend to natural speech.
In US English, /ˈtʃɛərˌpɜːrsən/ features a rhotic /ɜːr/ and a closer /ɜːr/ in ‘person.’ In UK, /ˈtʃeəˌpɜːsən/ has a more centralized /eə/ in ‘chair’ and non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers. Australian tends to be similar to UK but with broader vowels and less rhoticity in some speakers; final /n/ can be clear rather than nasalized. All share initial /tʃ/ and the two-syllable-perceived rhythm, but vowel quality and rhoticity vary. Refer to IPA for precise differences.
The difficulty lies in the two-part structure: a stressed, fronted /tʃ/ onset in ‘chair’ and a secondary-stressed ‘person,’ with a mid-to-high back vowel in ‘person.’ The transition from /tʃeə/ to /pɜːrsən/ requires precise mouth opening and tongue retraction, without glottal stop intrusion. Native-like rhythm—stressed first syllable, lighter second—helps; ensuring the /r/ is pronounced cleanly in rhotic varieties is also a challenge for some learners.
Keep the two-word feel of the term but treat it as a single, two-syllable-un-expected rhythm: /ˈtʃeəˌpɜːsən/. Emphasize the onset /tʃ/ with a crisp air release, then glide into /eə/ before a clear /pɜːr/ or /pɜːs/ cluster. Avoid vocalizing the final vowel too much; end with a light /ən/ nasal. Listening to native speakers via Pronounce, Forvo, or YouGlish will help you lock the rhythm.
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- US: rhotic /ɜːr/ in ‘person,’ more pronounced r-coloring; vowel in chair tends to /eɪ/ or /eə/ depending on region. - UK: non-rhotic or weak rhotics; /tʃeə/ with broader vowel; 'person' may be /ˈpɜːsən/; - AU: similar to UK with slightly broader vowels and tendency toward non-rhoticity in casual speech; monitor vowel length and /ɜː/ vs /ə/.IPA references: /ˈtʃeəˌpɜːsən/ (UK) vs /ˈtʃɛrˌpɜːrsən/ (US). - Focus on the first syllable onset /tʃ/ and final /sən/; practice with minimal pairs: chair vs chare; sir / sər.
The word chairperson is a compound formed from chair, meaning the official seat or chair of a meeting, and person, indicating the individual who occupies that role. The use of chair as a leadership title dates back to the Latin root sessus (sitz) via Old French chaire, evolving into English to denote the chair’s seat as the position of authority. The term chair has historically paired with various modifiers to denote leadership, including chairperson as a gender-neutral alternative to chairman. The earliest uses of chair as a leadership title appear in English in the 16th century, while chairperson as a modern, inclusive term began to gain prevalence in the late 20th century as organizations sought neutral language. The evolution reflects social shifts toward inclusivity while preserving the functional meaning of the role: a person who presides, moderates, and guides formal proceedings.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "chairperson" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "chairperson"
-son sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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