One syllable: combs.
kohmz
/koʊmz/
combs is pronounced kohmz (/koʊmz/). It has one syllable (combs), with the stress on "combs". Combs is the plural form of comb, referring to a tool with teeth used for styling hair or a structure with interlocking elements. In pronunciation, it ends with a voiceless /z/ plural suffix in most dialects, while the base noun /koʊm/ can influence vowel quality depending on surrounding sounds. The word is phonologically simple but presents a quiet final consonant cluster that affects syllable timing in connected speech.
Combs is the plural form of comb, referring to a tool with teeth used for styling hair or a structure with interlocking elements. In pronunciation, it ends with a voiceless /z/ plural suffix in most dialects, while the base noun /koʊm/ can influence vowel quality depending on surrounding sounds. The word is phonologically simple but presents a quiet final consonant cluster that affects syllable timing in connected speech.
"She opened the drawer and pulled out a wooden combs."
"The barber laid out several combs for customers to choose from."
"He carefully combs his hair while listening to music."
Phonetically, combs is /koʊmz/ in US and /kəʊmz/ in UK; in Australian speech you’ll commonly hear /koːmz/ or /kəʊmz/ depending on speaker. Start with the long vowel /oʊ/ as in 'go', then attach the voiced z at the end. The /m/ is a bilabial nasal, so keep your lips closed briefly, then release into /z/. Primary stress is on the first (and only) syllable. Tip: ensure the /m/ and /z/ form a smooth /mz/ cluster without an audible pause.
Common mistakes: 1) Slurring the final /mz/ into a simple /m/ or /z/ without the exact /m/ to /z/ transition. 2) Shortening the vowel to /ɪ/ or /ɛ/ instead of staying with /oʊ/ or /əʊ/; 3) Over-voicing the /z/ or adding an extra syllable like /koʊmɪz/. Correction: keep the /m/ nasal closure, then deliver a crisp /z/ with voicing; maintain /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ before the final cluster; practice with minimal pair /koʊmz/ vs /koʊmeɪz/ to hear the difference.
In US, /koʊmz/ with rhotic /r/ influence is minimal; long /oʊ/ and final /mz/ are stable. UK typically /kəʊmz/ with non-rhotic vowel leading to a slightly shorter /əʊ/ and a crisper /mz/; Australian often /koːmz/ or /kəʊmz/, with a slightly broader /oː/ and clear /z/ at the end. The main differences come from vowel quality (dipthong vs steady-state) and the vowel preceding the consonant cluster.
The difficulty lies in the final consonant cluster /mz/ after a closed syllable; you must maintain voicing for /z/ while keeping the /m/ nasal release, without inserting any vowel. If you’re not careful, you’ll either drop the /z/, voice it too strongly, or insert an extra vowel (e.g., /koʊmz/ → /koʊməz/). Focus on a crisp transition between /m/ and /z/, and ensure the vowel remains a true long /oʊ/ before the cluster.
A unique aspect for combs is the final /mz/ cluster after a closed syllable; unlike many plural nouns ending in /s/ or /z/ after sibilants, combs forms /koʊmz/ rather than /koʊmzɪ/; keep the /z/ short and unrounded, and avoid an extra schwa in most dialects. Visualize the mouth closing after /m/ and immediately emitting the /z/ with breathy but controlled voicing.
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Combs derives from Old English comba, variants of comben, from Proto-Germanic *kumbô, itself linked to Proto-Indo-European *kumb-to- (root related to a ridge or tooth). The word tracked a path from indicating a tooth-like projecting part to the tool used for detangling or aligning hair. In Middle English, comp was used in some dialects for both the tool and the act of making order. The modern plural form combs appears with the regular English plural suffix -s, reflecting both the noun’s natural plural in hairdressing contexts and the general pluralization pattern for English count nouns. As materials and manufacturing evolved, “comb” also acquired metaphorical senses (e.g., “combs of a schedule” shaping arrangement), though the hair-care item remains dominant. The earliest documented uses date to the medieval period in English literature, often describing grooming implements, sometimes in reference to bone or shell combs in antiquarian contexts. The semantic shift toward a simple, everyday object with mass-produced varieties solidified in the 17th–19th centuries as barbering and personal grooming became widespread. Today, combs exist in countless materials and designs, preserving an unbroken link to its comb-like teethed origin while expanding toward decorative and functional variants in fashion and industry.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "combs" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "combs"
-ums sounds
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