3 syllables: com, mu, nion. Stress on mu.
/kəˈmjunjən/
communion is pronounced /kəˈmjunjən/. It has three syllables (com-mu-nion), with the stress on "mu". A ceremonial act or ritual of sharing bread and wine within Christian tradition, or a sense of deep fellowship or unity among people. The term can also denote the body of participants sharing in such rites, or a strong, intimate bond among a group. It connotes communal worship, solemnity, and spiritual kinship across contexts.
Say it backA ceremonial act or ritual of sharing bread and wine within Christian tradition, or a sense of deep fellowship or unity among people. The term can also denote the body of participants sharing in such rites, or a strong, intimate bond among a group. It connotes communal worship, solemnity, and spiritual kinship across contexts.
"The congregation gathered for communion after the sermon."
"She felt a personal communion with nature during the hike."
"Participants shared the bread and wine in a quiet moment of reflection during communion."
Pronounce as ko-MYOO-nyun. IPA: US /kəˈmjuː.njən/, UK /kəˈmjuː.nɪ.ən/, AU /kəˈmjuː.njən/. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: MYOO.nyun. Start with a schwa syllable, then a clear 'myoo' glide, and end with a soft 'nyun' or 'nən' depending on accent. Mouth: lips relaxed, tongue high mid for 'juː', then light n-palate closure for 'n'. Audio cue: emphasize the diphthong in the second syllable and keep the final unstressed syllable light.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the second syllable: say ko-MYOO-nyən with full stress on the second syllable. 2) Flattening the vowel in 'myoo' to a short 'u' sound; keep the long /juː/ diphthong. 3) Adding an extra syllable or misplacing the final schwa; end with a light /ən/ or /ən/ depending on accent. Practice by isolating the core /ˈmjuː/ and rounding the lips for the diphthong. Correct by practicing ‘myoo’ quickly, then attach the final ‘nyən’ softly.
In US and AU, the second syllable carries primary stress with a long /juː/ sound and a final /ən/ or /n̩/ depending on speed; the 'n' can be syllabic in rapid speech. UK typically shows /əˈmjuː.nɪ.ən/ with a slightly shorter first vowel and a more pronounced schwa in the ending. Rhoticity is less influential here than the treatment of the second syllable; focus on the /mjuː/ sequence. The biggest difference is the ending: UK may sound /ɪən/ or /iən/ in careful speech, US often /ən/.
The difficulty centers on the 'mjuː' cluster—combining /m/ with a strong /juː/ glide—which can be awkward for speakers who simplify into /mu/ or /mj/. The multi-syllabic rhythm with secondary stress and a light, often reduced final syllable adds to the challenge. Students also must maintain correct elbowing of the syllables so the second syllable remains prominent while not overemphasizing the final '-on' or '-ən'.
A unique point is the /mjuː/ sequence after the initial /kə/. The mouth briefly forms a labial-velar blend: lips round for the /m/ and then quickly transition to the high front rounded vowel /juː/ with a strong palatal glide; keep a tight transition from /m/ to /juː/ without inserting a separate consonant between them. This makes the second syllable crisp and prevents it from slurring into /mjuən/.
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Communion derives from the Latin communio, meaning 'a sharing, participation, or fellowship.' Communio itself comes from com- 'together' + munus 'duty, service, gift' or munus 'function, role' with the notion of shared participation. The Latin term passed into Medieval Latin as communio and into Old French as communier before entering English in the 14th century. In Christian usage, it referred to the mutual participation in the Eucharist—sharing the bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ—reflecting unity with Christ and with one another. Over time, the sense broadened in English to include general fellowship or intimate spiritual sharing beyond liturgical settings. By the 15th–16th centuries, it also carried secular connotations of social bond and collective belonging, later expanding into phrases describing a sensory or spiritual closeness with ideas, people, or the divine. The word thus balances liturgical specificity with broader metaphorical meaning about participation and unity.
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Words that rhyme with "communion"
-ion sounds
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