3 syllables: com, press, ion. Stress on press.
kuhm-PRESH-uhn
/kəmˈpɹɛʃən/
compression is pronounced kuhm-PRESH-uhn (/kəmˈpɹɛʃən/). It has three syllables (com-press-ion), with the stress on "press". Compression refers to the act or process of pressing or squeezing something to reduce its volume or to increase its density. It can also describe the state of being compressed, or a device that applies pressure. In technical contexts, compression denotes data reduction, pressure in physics, or medical compression bands. The term carries a formal, precise tone and is frequently used in engineering, science, and medicine.
Compression refers to the act or process of pressing or squeezing something to reduce its volume or to increase its density. It can also describe the state of being compressed, or a device that applies pressure. In technical contexts, compression denotes data reduction, pressure in physics, or medical compression bands. The term carries a formal, precise tone and is frequently used in engineering, science, and medicine.
- You may mispronounce the /ˈprɛ/ portion, making it sound like preh-sion or pression. Aim for a crisp /prɛ/ with a brief stop before the /ʃ/. - The /ʃən/ ending can merge into a weak schwa; keep the /ʃ/ audible and the /ən/ short and relaxed. - In rapid speech, speakers often drop the first syllable too quickly, leading to com-PRESH-un. Keep the stress on the middle syllable and ensure the /p/ is fully released before the /r/.
"The data file underwent compression to save storage space."
"The athlete wore compression garments to improve circulation during the run."
"A faulty seal caused air compression in the piston chamber."
Pronounce as kəm-ˈprɛ-ʃən, with stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is a schwa, and the -sion ending yields the /ʃən/ sound. IPA US: kəˈmprɛʃən (often realized as kəm-ppre-shən in rapid speech). Visualize starting with a light 'kuh' sound, then a clear 'PRESS' segment, followed by a soft 'ən'. Audio cues: [kəm-PRÉ-shən].
Common errors include misplacing stress (compress-tion instead of com-PRE-sion), pronouncing the /ʃ/ as /s/ or /ʒ/, and slurring the /r/ in the middle due to non-rhotic habits. Correction: place primary stress on the second syllable: com-PRE-sion, ensure the /p/ is released before the /r/ and the /ʃ/ is clearly heard before the final /ən/. Practice with emphasized pause after /prɛ/ and keep the final /ən/ short and unstressed.
In US English, stress remains on the second syllable with a clear /ˈprɛ/ and /ʃən/ ending. UK English similarly stresses the second syllable but may have a crisper /ˈprɛ-ʃən/ and slightly different /r/ realization depending on rhotic variety. Australian English tends to be non-rhotic with a more centralized vowel quality in the second syllable and a tighter final /ən/. Overall, the core /ˈprɛ/ and /ʃən/ are stable, but vowel height and rhoticity vary subtly by accent.
The difficulty comes from the consonant cluster around /pr/ and the /ʃ/ in the middle, plus maintaining a clear, unstressed /ən/ at the end. The /p/ release followed by /r/ can blur in rapid speech, and the /ˈprɛ/ vowel needs careful mouth positioning to stay distinct from neighboring vowels. Practicing with minimal pairs and slow, deliberate enunciation helps keep the /p/ and /r/ clean and ensures the /ʃ/ isn’t assimilated to a /s/ sound.
There are no silent letters in compression, but learners should watch the /r/ and /ʃ/ sequences. In many non-rhotic accents, the /r/ is not strongly pronounced unless followed by a vowel, which can subtly alter the perceived timing of the second syllable. Focus on maintaining a visible /r/ articulation in connected speech before vowels, and ensure the /ʃ/ is a distinct mid-palate sound rather than a palatalized or alveolar variant.
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- US: rhotic accent keeps /r/ before the vowel; maintain the /r/ lightly in the second syllable if your following sound allows. Vowel in the stressed /e/ is often a mid-front tense vowel. - UK: less rhotic influence in some regions; you may hear a slightly tighter /ɒ/ or /eɪ/ quality, with a crisper /ˈprɛ/ and a more pronounced /ʃə/. - AU: non-rhotic tendencies; the /r/ may be less audible; vowel quality in /prɛ/ can be slightly centralized; final /ən/ is often a schwa-light syllable. Use IPA: US /kəˈmprɛʃən/, UK /kəmˈpreʃən/, AU /kəˈmprɛʃən/; pay attention to rhoticity and vowel height differences.
Compression comes from the Latin compressio, from the verb comprimere, meaning to press together. The prefix com- (together) + premere (to press) yields compress- as a root in many related words like compress, compressible, and compression. The term entered English through scientific and technical usage in the late 17th to 18th centuries as physiology, physics, and engineering adopted precise language for pressure, density, and data reduction. Early uses emphasized physical pressing and the reduction of volume, which then broadened to metaphorical and technological meanings (e.g., data compression and image compression). By the 19th and 20th centuries, the word had a well-established niche in mechanics, thermodynamics, computer science, and medicine, retaining the core sense of applying pressure or reducing something’s extent. Modern usage often contrasts compression with expansion and rarefaction, especially in acoustics, thermodynamics, and digital data contexts. The word’s versatility reflects its core metaphor: squeezing something to alter its state or size without fundamentally changing its identity.
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Words that rhyme with "compression"
-ion sounds
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