3 syllables: Com, bust, ion. Stress on bust.
kuhm-BUHS-chuhn
/kəˈmbʌstʃən/
Combustion is pronounced kuhm-BUHS-chuhn (/kəˈmbʌstʃən/). It has three syllables (Com-bust-ion), with the stress on "bust". Combustion is the chemical process of burning a substance in the presence of an oxidizer, releasing heat and light as a result. In everyday language, it refers to the act of burning, often used in chemical, mechanical, or energy contexts. The term is commonly applied in safety, engineering, and science discussions about engines, fuels, and reactions.
nounCombustion is the chemical process of burning a substance in the presence of an oxidizer, releasing heat and light as a result. In everyday language, it refers to the act of burning, often used in chemical, mechanical, or energy contexts. The term is commonly applied in safety, engineering, and science discussions about engines, fuels, and reactions.
"The engine relies on precise combustion to maximize efficiency and minimize emissions."
"A rapid combustion of gas caused a small burst, triggering an automatic shutoff."
"Researchers study combustion dynamics to improve turbine performance."
Pronounce it as /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ (UK) or /ˌkɑːmˈbʌs.tʃən/ (US). The primary stress is on the second syllable 'bust', with a secondary stress on the initial 'com-'. Start with 'KOM' with a short o, then 'BUST' with a short, crisp vowel, and finish with a light 'shən' (schwa + n). Think: KOM-bust-ən, with the t lightly released before the final syllable.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (putting emphasis on the first syllable 'COM'), pronouncing the second syllable as 'bust-tion' or 'bush-tion', and mispronouncing the final 'tion' as a hard 't' or 'sh-un'. Correction: stress the second syllable as 'bust' with a clear 'ʌ' vowel, and reduce the 't' into a light 'ch' sound 'tʃən' only when appropriate. Use /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ or /ˌkɑːmˈbʌs.tʃən/ with a palatal 'tʃ' and a soft ending.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˌkɑːmˈbʌs.tʃən/ with an open back 'ɑː' in the first syllable and rhotic ending. In UK English, /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ uses a shorter 'ɒ' and non-rhoticity may soften 'r' in connected speech. Australian English tends toward /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ with a slightly more centralized vowel in some speakers. Across all, the second syllable 'bust' remains stressed; the final 'tion' typically reduces to /tʃən/.
The word packs a consonant cluster and a postvocalic /tʃən/ ending that can be tricky. The sequence 'mb' followed by 'ust' can cause confusion about consonant blending, and the 'tion' ending must be accurately realized as /tʃən/ rather than a simple /ʃən/. Practice the transition from 'm' to 'b' to the affricate 'tʃ' and the quick schwa, keeping the second syllable stressed.
Focus on the core /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ pattern: initial 'k' with lateral release, middle 'm' blending into a crisp /b/, and the affricate /tʃ/ before the final /ən/. Make sure your mouth forms a small, rounded shape for the /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ in the first syllable, then opens for the reduced 'ə' in the final syllable. This balance of vowel quality and a precise /tʃ/ is the key to natural-sounding pronunciation.
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US: rhotic influence is minimal in this word; keep the final /ən/ light and short. UK: non-rhotic tendency makes /n/ more prominent at the end; ensure you don't drop the final /ən/. AU: vowels in the first syllable can be slightly more centralized; maintain /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ with a crisp /bʌs/ onset. Use IPA references to monitor vowel quality: /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ vs /ˌkɑːmˈbʌs.tʃən/ vs /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ and align your lip rounding and jaw openness accordingly.
Combustion comes from late Middle English combustion, from Latin combustio, from the verb comburere meaning 'to burn up' (com- 'together' + furere 'to burn' or 'to be on fire,' though the exact roots are debated). The Latin term appears in scientific and alchemical contexts, evolving in the 17th–19th centuries as chemistry formalized concepts of combustion with oxidation. Early usage often described burning with oxygen and was tied to theories of air and fire. As chemistry matured, combustion became a central concept in thermodynamics and engine science, highlighting exothermic reactions between a fuel and an oxidizer. The pronunciation in English settled toward /ˌkɒmˈbʌs.tʃən/ in many varieties, with stress on the second syllable in formal usage and occasional alternate pronunciations in specific technical communities. First known English uses appear in translations and treatises discussing combustion processes in the 18th century, with rapid growth during the industrial age as engines and furnaces required precise terms for reaction mechanisms.
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Words that rhyme with "Combustion"
-ion sounds
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