2 syllables: Col, leagues. Stress on Col.
KAH-leegz
/ˈkɑliɡz/
Colleagues is pronounced KAH-leegz (/ˈkɑliɡz/). It has two syllables (Col-leagues), with the stress on "Col". Colleagues is a plural noun referring to people who work with you, typically in the same organization or profession. It denotes peers within a workplace rather than outside collaborators. The term carries formal-to-neutral register and is commonly used in professional discourse to describe people you interact with in a shared work environment.
nounColleagues is a plural noun referring to people who work with you, typically in the same organization or profession. It denotes peers within a workplace rather than outside collaborators. The term carries formal-to-neutral register and is commonly used in professional discourse to describe people you interact with in a shared work environment.
How to Pronounce Colleagues
"I discussed the project timeline with my colleagues during lunch."
"Colleagues from the marketing department will join us for the briefing."
"She praised her colleagues for meeting the quarterly targets."
Colleagues is pronounced with stress on the first syllable: /ˈkɒlɪˌɡz/ in US/UK common variants, or /ˈkɔːlɪˌɡz/ for broader vowel realizations. Start with an open back rounded vowel in the first syllable, then a light schwa in the second, and finish with a clear /ɡz/ cluster. Think 'COL-li-geez' with emphasis on COL. If you prefer a two-beat rhythm, you can hear it as COL-li- geez, but natural speech often reduces to COLɡz in casual contexts.
Common errors include flattening the second syllable into a full /liː/ (COL-ee-geez) and mispronouncing the final /ɡz/ as /gz/ or /z/ only. Another frequent issue is misplacing the primary stress; some say /ˈkɒlɪɡz/ with equal weight on syllables. Correct by using a short, unstressed second syllable (ˈkɒlɪ/), then attach a crisp /ɡz/ at the end. Practice with tempo: COL-li-geez, ensuring you don’t insert extra vowel length.
In US and UK accents, the first syllable carries primary stress with a short /ɒ/ or broad /ɒ/ depending on region, followed by a light /lɪ/ and a voiced /ɡz/. US speakers might have a more rhotic vowel in certain background words, but 'colleagues' remains non-rhotic to some speakers; UK tends toward /ˈkɒlɪɡz/, AU often similar to UK with slightly more rounded vowels. The final /ɡz/ cluster remains consistent across dialects, though the vowel quality and rhoticity around adjacent segments vary.
The difficulty lies in the /ˈkɒlɪ/ onset plus the /ɡz/ coda cluster, which can cause vowel reduction or a shift in place of articulation if you rush. The /l/ blends with a following /ɪ/ creating a light 'li' syllable, and the final /ɡz/ requires precise tongue contact to voice the /z/ after /ɡ/. For non-native speakers, the sequence of short vowel, light /l/, and final voiced cluster is the main challenge. Practice slowing down to anchor each phoneme.
No; both the 'l' and the 'g' are pronounced, and the final 's' is not silent. Some speakers may voice the final cluster as /gz/ or soften it to /z/ in rapid speech, but the standard pronunciation actively voice the /ɡ/ and the final /z/. Be mindful not to drop the /l/ or /ɡ/—both contribute to accurate pronunciation.
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US: tends to be rhotic with a crisp /ɡz/ ending; UK: non-rhotic or mildly rhotic depending on region; AU: similar to UK but with slightly more relaxed vowel space and vowel quality. Vowel notes: US /ɒ/ may sound like /ɑ/ in some regions; UK /ɒ/ is more rounded; AU often merges /ɒ/ with /ɔː/. The middle /ɪ/ is typically a short, lax vowel; keep it quick, not a full /iː/. Final cluster /ɡz/ should be released with a brief delay after the /ɡ/.
Colleagues comes from the French word collègue, meaning 'partner in crime; fellow worker,' which itself traces to Medieval Latin collega, from collega 'partner, associate' from com- 'together' + legare 'to appoint, bind by oath' (a sense of 'alliance' or 'allied partner'). The English adoption appears in the 14th–15th centuries as collègue and later collèagues to denote companions or associates in a common act or cause. The sense has evolved from a legal or social bond among people sharing a duty or office to the modern workplace meaning, emphasizing professional association, shared responsibilities, and mutual accountability. Over time, the word shifted from a somewhat formal sense to a common workplace term in everyday business speech, retaining connotations of collegial relationship and collaborative environment.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Colleagues" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Colleagues" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Colleagues"
-oes sounds
-ows sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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