One syllable: coins.
koynz
/kɔɪnz/
coins is pronounced koynz (/kɔɪnz/). It has one syllable (coins), with the stress on "coins". Coins refers to small, typically round objects of metal used as money or currency. In plural form, it denotes more than one such unit. The term also appears in expressions like coin toss or coin collection, where it functions as a noun in broader financial or metaphorical contexts.
Coins refers to small, typically round objects of metal used as money or currency. In plural form, it denotes more than one such unit. The term also appears in expressions like coin toss or coin collection, where it functions as a noun in broader financial or metaphorical contexts.
"I saved a few coins in the jar from the bus ride."
"The vending machine accepted coins only."
"She tossed the coins to decide who goes first."
Pronounce as /kɔɪnz/. Start with a rounded lip position for the /k/ stop, move into the /ɔɪ/ diphthong (a smooth glide from open-mid back to near-close near-front), and end with the voiced alveolar nasal /n/ followed by the /z/ sound. The primary stress is on the single syllable; keep the /ɔɪ/ brief but crisp. If you imagine saying “coin” and add a final /z/, you’re there. IPA: /kɔɪnz/.
Two common errors: 1) Slurring /ɔɪ/ into a simple /o/ or /aɪ/ sequence, making it sound like /koɪnz/ or /kaɪnz/. Correction: emphasize the true /ɔɪ/ diphthong by starting with the rounded /ɔ/ and gliding toward /ɪ/. 2) Dropping the final /z/ or turning it into /s/ in fast speech. Correction: keep a voiced end with a clear /z/; maintain voicing from /n/ to /z/ as a continuous nasal+voiced fricative cluster.
In US/UK/AU, the onset /k/ and diphthong /ɔɪ/ are consistent, but rhoticity can subtly alter vowel coloring. US tends to have a slightly tenser /ɔɪ/ and quicker glide into /ɪ/; UK often features a more relaxed, rounded /ɔɪ/ and crisper /z/ at the end, while AU may blend /ɔɪ/ with a broader, slightly retracted vowel and a softened final /z/. Overall, the difference is subtle; the main cue is how the /ɔɪ/ diphthong shifts slightly in quality and the final voicing on /z/.
The difficulty lies in the single-syllable compression of a diphthong + coda cluster. The /ɔɪ/ requires a controlled lip rounding and jaw movement, while the /nz/ sequence tests voicing alternation and nasal-to-fricative transition. For some speakers, the /z/ is devoiced in rapid speech or the /n/ blends with a following consonant, affecting clarity. With focused practice, you can stabilize the diphthong start and the voiced end.
Unique to coins is the final /z/ suffix in plural usage, which requires you to maintain voicing from the preceding /n/ into the /z/ rather than producing a separate /s/ sound. The tongue already near the alveolar ridge for /n/ makes the transition to /z/ natural; ensure your vocal cords vibrate for the final consonant to avoid devoicing. This subtle voicing contrast is what often trips speakers in fast speech.
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The word coins derives from Old French coin, from Latin moneta, meaning a minted coin or money. The Latin root moneta originally referred to the goddess Juno Moneta, whose temple in Rome housed the mint. From these roots, the sense expanded from a single minted piece to the general idea of money. In Middle English, coin (singular) appeared to denote money in general, with coins (plural) used for multiple pieces. The development mirrors the broader transition from metallic units to a generic term for money. First known uses in English date to the 13th century, with coins as a fixed lexical category tied to coinage and currency systems historically minted by various governments. Over centuries, the concept narrowed in some branches of English to refer specifically to minted metal disks used in everyday transactions, while still retaining its broader metaphorical usages in phrases like “coin a phrase.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "coins" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "coins" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "coins"
-ins sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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