2 syllables: clus, ter. Stress on clus.
KLUHS-tur
/ˈklʌstɚ/
cluster is pronounced KLUHS-tur (/ˈklʌstɚ/). It has two syllables (clus-ter), with the stress on "clus". A cluster is a small group of things gathered or occurring closely together. In linguistics, a consonant cluster is a sequence of two or more consonants without intervening vowels. The term also describes a dense grouping in fields like astronomy or sociology. Overall, it implies compactness and adjacency.
A cluster is a small group of things gathered or occurring closely together. In linguistics, a consonant cluster is a sequence of two or more consonants without intervening vowels. The term also describes a dense grouping in fields like astronomy or sociology. Overall, it implies compactness and adjacency.
"- The gym created a cluster of athletes waiting for the coach."
"- In English phonology, the 'str' in 'string' is a consonant cluster."
"- Police reported a cluster of incidents in the downtown area."
You say /ˈklʌ.stər/ in General American and /ˈklʌs.tə/ in most UK contexts; stress is on the first syllable. The first vowel is a short, lax /ʌ/ like in 'cut,' the second is a schwa /ər/ or /ə/ depending on accent. Think: 'KLUH-stur' with a short, crisp 'st' blend. For audio reference, compare with standard dictionaries or pronunciation channels that provide IPA cues.
Common errors include de-emphasizing the first syllable, producing a full /uː/ or /ʌ/ instead of /ʌ/, and adding an extra vowel between /l/ and /s/ (e.g., 'cloos-ter'). Another frequent pitfall is turning the /r/ into a rolled or tapped variant in non-rhotic contexts. Correct by keeping /klʌ/ in the first syllable, ensuring the /s/ blends cleanly with /t/, and ending with a neutral schwa /ər/ or /ə/. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the syllable boundary.
In US English, /ˈklʌ.stər/ with a rhotic /r/ at the end and a clear /ɹ/. In UK English, it’s typically /ˈklʌs.tə/ with a non-rhotic /ə/ sound at the end, sometimes a more centralized final vowel. Australian English tends toward /ˈklʌstə/ with a short final /ə/ and similar non-rhotic tendencies. The main shift is rhoticity and the exact quality of the final vowel; US retains /ɹ/, UK/AU lower or schwa-like endings. Listen to region-specific pronunciation guides to capture subtle vowel warmth.
Several features make it tricky: the immediate consonant cluster /lstr/ requires precise timing between the /l/ and /s/ transitions, and the /t/ release before the final /ər/ (or /ə/) can create a slight trifecta of adjustments for the tongue. The unstressed final /ər/ or /ə/ can slide toward a schwa or a syllabic r depending on accent. Mastery comes from practicing the sequence slowly, then accelerating while maintaining air pressure and tongue position so the consonants remain crisp.
A notable feature is the abrupt closure from /l/ to /s/ within the same syllable: /l/ is a light, lateral sound followed immediately by a voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ before the/ t/ release. This requires a precise tongue blade position behind the upper teeth to avoid vowel intrusion. You’ll hear the crisp transition in careful diction; practicing with rapid alternations like /l/ to /s/ to /t/ helps cement the natural flow of the word.
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Cluster comes from late Middle English, likely from the Old English clustrian meaning to bind or fasten together, though etymologists debate its exact path. The root sense centered on crowding or fastening; by the 16th–17th centuries, cluster began appearing in references to groups of stars, grapes, or anything tied or bound together. The word evolved from use in practical descriptions of tangible bundles to more abstract groupings, including social, data-analytic, and astronomical contexts. Its semantic drift toward ‘a coherent grouping of related items’ reflects a cross-domain application of the core idea of tight adjacency. The term is now ubiquitous in linguistics, computer science (data clusters), and social sciences, often paired with modifier terms to specify the kind of grouping (blood cluster, star cluster, cluster analysis). First known usage in English literature appears in compounds describing tied bundles or gathers, consistent with its figurative evolution into modern scientific and technical vocabularies.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "cluster" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "cluster" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "cluster"
-ter sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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