One syllable: chests.
chests
/tʃɛsts/
chests is pronounced chests (/tʃɛsts/). It has one syllable (chests), with the stress on "chests". Chests is the plural of chest, referring to the upper front part of the torso or a type of storage box. In everyday use, it denotes multiple chest objects or multiple chest areas, and appears in both anatomical and object contexts. The word is brief, monosyllabic, with a simple final /s/ plural suffix and clear vowel sounds, making precise articulation essential for intelligibility.
Chests is the plural of chest, referring to the upper front part of the torso or a type of storage box. In everyday use, it denotes multiple chest objects or multiple chest areas, and appears in both anatomical and object contexts. The word is brief, monosyllabic, with a simple final /s/ plural suffix and clear vowel sounds, making precise articulation essential for intelligibility.
"She opened the dusty chests in the attic to reveal old garments."
"The map was tucked inside the treasure chests at the bottom of the shipwreck."
"Her chests heaved with laughter as the room filled with joy."
Pronounce it as /tʃɛsts/. Start with a place of articulation similar to 'church' for the /tʃ/ blend, then the short /e/ as in 'bed', followed by the final cluster /sts/ where the /s/ is clear and the /t/ is lightly released before the final /s/. The word is one syllable with primary stress on the word root, and the sibilants require crisp articulation to avoid slurring with a following word.
Common errors include vocalizing the /t/ as a strong, explosive release interfering with the /s/ (saying /t͡s/ as a hard sequence) and confusing /ɛ/ with /eɪ/ in fast speech. Another mistake is blending the /t/ and /s/ so the final sounds turn into a single /z/ or /s/ without proper stop. To correct, produce a brief, light stop before the final /s/ and ensure the tongue tips touch the alveolar ridge briefly for the /t/ before releasing into /s/.
In US, UK, and AU accents the initial /t͡ʃ/ is the same. Differences appear mainly in vowel quality and the final /s/. US tends toward a slightly tenser /ɛ/ and crisper /s/. UK often maintains a clearer, shorter vowel and fewer vowel reductions. Australian speech keeps similar vowel but with more relaxed jaw tension and slightly broader diphthongs in nearby sounds, though /t͡ʃ/ remains consistent. Overall, the main variation is vowel height and how aggressively the /t/ is released before /s/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /t͡s/ immediately after /ɛ/. You need a quick tongue-tip stop before releasing into the /s/ and avoiding a merge that turns it into a simple /s/ or /z/. Precise timing matters: the /t/ is subtle but audible, and the /s/ must stay voiceless, not voiced. Practice by isolating the cluster, adding a micro pause between /t/ and /s/ before saying the word in context.
Because it’s a monosyllable with a tricky final cluster, you must coordinate tongue-tip contact, air release, and sibilant voicing in a very short window. If your tongue doesn’t flick to the alveolar ridge quickly enough, you’ll blur the /t/ and /s/. Focusing on a tiny aspirated stop and crisp sibilant helps you land the sound cleanly in fluent speech.
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Chest comes from the Old English word cēost, related to Dutch kist and German Kiste, all from the Proto-Germanic *kista. The sense originally denoted a box or container. Over time, chest also referred to the human chest as the thoracic cavity and ribcage, likely by metaphorical extension from the container idea to the chest’s protective function for vital organs. The plural form chests emerges with regular English pluralization by adding -s. First known uses in English literature appear in medieval texts referencing both containers and anatomy, evolving with the vocabulary of maritime trade (treasure chests) and anatomy terminology. The word’s core meaning as a container solidified in Early Modern English, while anatomical usage reflects broader medical and educational adoption. Today, chests commonly refer to multiple boxes or to multiple thoracic regions, with the plural suffix signifying either category simultaneity.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "chests" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "chests" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "chests" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "chests"
-sts sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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