3 syllables: Chau, vin, ist. Stress on Chau.
SHOH-vuh-nuhst
/ˈʃoʊvənəst/
Chauvinist is pronounced SHOH-vuh-nuhst (/ˈʃoʊvənəst/). It has three syllables (Chau-vin-ist), with the stress on "Chau". Chauvinist is a noun describing a person who strongly believes that their group—often marked by gender, nationality, or ethnicity—has superiority. The term is usually pejorative, highlighting biased, excessive patriotism or prejudice that discounts others. It implies an entrenched, unfounded belief in one group’s dominance, sometimes expressed through condescending attitudes or discriminatory behavior.
nounChauvinist is a noun describing a person who strongly believes that their group—often marked by gender, nationality, or ethnicity—has superiority. The term is usually pejorative, highlighting biased, excessive patriotism or prejudice that discounts others. It implies an entrenched, unfounded belief in one group’s dominance, sometimes expressed through condescending attitudes or discriminatory behavior.
- You often mispronounce the initial consonant cluster; use either /ʃ/ (US) or /tʃ/ (UK/AU) with accurate tongue position. Practice by saying ‘sh’ or ‘ch’ with a single smooth release. - The second syllable’s vowel can be incorrectly stressed or elongated; your goal is a quick, relaxed schwa like /ə/ in the middle syllable, not a full vowel. - The final -ist may be overemphasized; keep /ɪst/ light and clipped. 4-6 practice cycles daily: say slowly, then at natural speed, then in a sentence. Record yourself to compare with native audio and adjust the rhythm. You’ll improve your flow when the middle vowel remains short and the final consonant lands crisply.
How to Pronounce Chauvinist
"The columnist criticized the politician as a chauvinist for boasting about his country’s superiority."
"Some colleagues labeled the manager a chauvinist after he dismissed women’s contributions in meetings."
"The campaign addressed chauvinist attitudes that undermine equal opportunity in the workplace."
Chauvinist is pronounced as /ˈʃoʊ.və.nɪst/ in US and /ˈtʃɔː.vɪ.nɪst/ in UK (some speakers may use /ˈtʃɔː.vɪ.nɪst/). The main stress falls on the first syllable: CHO-vin-ist. Start with a “sh” or “ch” sound, then a mid-central vowel, then an unstressed “va” or “vin,” followed by a final “ist.” For clarity: US /ˈʃoʊ.və.nɪst/ uses a Court-sho vowel for the first syllable; UK uses a longer, rounded first vowel. Listen for the subtle schwa in the second syllable; the final -ist is a light, clipped /ɪst/. Audio reference: consult a reliable dictionary with native speaker audio.
Common mistakes include mispronouncing the initial cluster as 'chow-vin-ist' (overly long first vowel) and saying a hard 'n' instead of a light /nɪst/ ending. Another error is stressing the second syllable (ca‑u‑vin‑ist). To correct: keep the /ʃ/ or /tʃ/ initial, use a short /ə/ (schwa) in the second syllable, and keep final /nɪst/ tense but quick. Practice with minimal pairs: CHO-vuh-nist vs CHAW-vin-ist helps train the schwa and rhythm. Remember to keep the final -ist crisp but not heavily aspirated.
US tends to /ˈʃoʊ.və.nɪst/ with a clear /ʃ/ and a pronounced /oʊ/ in the first syllable; UK often uses /ˈtʃɔː.vɪ.nɪst/ with a longer first vowel and a sharper /ɪ/ in the second vowel; Australian English commonly renders /ˈtʃɔː.vɪ.nɪst/ with non-rhoticity spreading the r-less quality and a slightly closer /ɪ/ in the final syllable. In all, the second syllable’s vowel tends toward a reduced schwa in many speakers, and the initial cluster shifts between /ʃ/ and /tʃ/ depending on dialect. IPA references help you verify each version.
The difficulty stems from the first syllable cluster transition and the unstressed middle vowel. The initial /ʃoʊ/ or /tʃɔː/ requires precise tongue positioning: the blade of the tongue just behind the teeth, lips rounded for /oʊ/ in US, less rounded in UK/AU; the middle /ə/ (schwa) is quick and relaxed; and the final /nɪst/ includes a light nasal followed by a clipped /st/. Misplacing stress or over-emphasizing the second vowel makes it sound like a different word. Listen to native exemplars and mirror the rhythm.
A unique nuance is the subtle vowel reduction in the second syllable: many speakers reduce ’va’ to a light, almost inaudible /ə/ before the /nɪst/. In some American varieties, you’ll hear /-və-/ rather than /-va-/, while UK variants lean toward /-vɪ-/ in the second syllable. The final /st/ remains voiceless and crisp. If you keep the first syllable clearly rounded and secure the schwa in the middle, you’ll retain natural pronunciation across contexts.
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- US: /ˈʃoʊ.və.nɪst/ with a rounded, tense first vowel; keep /ə/ quick in the middle and /ɪst/ compact at the end. - UK: /ˈtʃɔː.vɪ.nɪst/ features a longer first vowel and a slightly stronger /ɪ/ in the second syllable; non-rhoticity is common, but not universal. - AU: /ˈtʃɔː.vɪ.nɪst/ similar to UK but with a flatter vowel in some speakers and a more pronounced final /ɪst/. Use IPA as a guide and listen to three accent exemplars to tune the middle vowel and final consonant. - Practice cues: mouth positions for /ʃ/ or /tʃ/, rounded lips for /oʊ/ or /ɔː/, relaxed jaw for /ə/, tip of tongue for /n/ and blade for /s/ before /t/.
Chauvinist derives from Nicolas Chauvin, a possibly legendary 19th-century French soldier famed for excessive patriotism and loyalty to Napoleon. The word entered French usage in the 19th century and spread into English, initially describing extreme, unquestioning patriotism associated with Chauvin’s exaggerated heroism. Over time, the sense broadened from a nationalistic zeal to a general prejudice attributing superiority to one’s own group (such as gender, race, or ethnicity). The word carries a slightly pejorative connotation, signaling belligerent partisanship rather than simply pride. First known English uses appear in late 19th to early 20th centuries in political and social commentary, where it was used to critique biased attitudes beyond military or patriotic contexts. Today, chauvinist commonly collocates with adjectives like male, national, racial, and sexist, emphasizing biased group favoritism that undermines equality and open-minded discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Chauvinist" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Chauvinist"
-ist sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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