3 syllables: com, po, sites. Stress on po.
kuhm-PAH-zuhts
/kəˈmpɑzəts/
composites is pronounced kuhm-PAH-zuhts (/kəˈmpɑzəts/). It has three syllables (com-po-sites), with the stress on "po". Composites is the plural form of composite, referring to materials made from two or more constituent substances with distinct properties. In everyday use, it also denotes mathematical entities formed by combining elements. The word stresses on the second syllable, and the final -s is pronounced as /z/.
Composites is the plural form of composite, referring to materials made from two or more constituent substances with distinct properties. In everyday use, it also denotes mathematical entities formed by combining elements. The word stresses on the second syllable, and the final -s is pronounced as /z/.
"The aerospace company uses carbon fiber composites for its panels."
"She studied composites of different metals to improve strength."
"The weathered samples were analyzed for their composite spectra."
Pronounce as three syllables: /ˈkɒm.pə.zɪts/. Primary stress on the first syllable: COM-pos-its. The middle is a schwa /ə/ (po), and the final syllable ends with /z/?/ Actually /zɪts/ ends with /ts/ preceded by a voiced /z/. In careful speech, ensure the final consonant cluster /ts/ is crisp; the final 'es' is pronounced as /ɪts/ with a voiced z before the t: /ˈkɒm.pə.zɪts/. Audio example: try saying “COM-puh-zits.”
Common errors: (1) Slurring the middle syllable into a quick /ə/ making it /ˈkɒmpəsɪts/; (2) Flattening the ending to /z/ only instead of /zɪts/; (3) Misplacing stress as second syllable in rapid speech. Correction: practice with a slow triplet: COM-po-zits, stressing the first syllable, then clearly pronounce /zɪts/ at the end. When linking to a following word, keep the final /ts/ crisp to avoid a tensing of the preceding vowel. Use IPA: /ˈkɒm.pə.zɪts/ and ensure the /z/ is voiced before /ɪts/.
US/UK/AU share the same three-syllable pattern, but vowel qualities differ slightly: US often rhotically lowers vowels in some contexts and may show a stronger /ɒ/ as in /ˈkɑːm/ or /ˈkɒm/? UK favors shorter /ɒ/ and a less pronounced /ɪ/ in /zɪts/. Australian tends to flatter vowels, with /ˈkɒm.pə.zɪts/ but with a more centralized /ə/ in the middle and a lighter /t s/? The main difference is vowel quality and intonation; consonants stay close to /k/ /m/ /z/ /ts/.
Difficulties include the cluster of three consonants at the end: /z/ + /ɪ/ + /ts/ can trip the tongue, especially for non-native speakers or rapid speech. The middle vowel is a schwa, which can be underpronounced causing vowel reduction. Also, the sequence /m.pə/ requires a light contact between lips and soft palate. Focus on keeping the final /ts/ crisp and uniform, and maintain the main stress on COM- to avoid shifting stress in fast talk.
Does the final -es in 'composites' ever sound like /z/ only? No— in standard English, -es here yields /ɪts/; the sequence ends with /ɪts/ rather than a plain /z/ alone. You’ll hear a brief /ɪ/ before the final /ts/. This distinguishes it from words like “composed” which end differently. IPA: /ˈkɒm.pə.zɪts/.
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Composite derives from the Latin compositus, past participle of componere meaning to put together, combine. The Latin root compon- carries the idea of placing together, with the prefix com- meaning together and ponere to place. In English, composite entered in the 17th century to describe things made of multiple parts; by the 18th–19th centuries it broadened to refer to mixtures in science, mathematics (composite numbers), and materials science. The semantic evolution tracks from a general “put together” to a specialized term in engineering (composites as materials combining resin or metal matrices with reinforcing fibers) and then in math as objects formed by combining numbers/parts. First known uses appear in technical treatises in the 1600s, with modern material science usage expanding in the 20th century as composite materials became central to aerospace and construction. The plural form composites follows English pluralization rules, typically pronounced with the final /z/ sound in most contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "composites"
-ves sounds
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