3 syllables: con, den, sers. Stress on den.
kuhn-DEN-surz
/kənˈdɛn.sɚz/
condensers is pronounced kuhn-DEN-surz (/kənˈdɛn.sɚz/). It has three syllables (con-den-sers), with the stress on "den". Condensers are devices or components that transform a gaseous or vaporous substance into a liquid through cooling or compression. In electronics, condensers (an older term for capacitors) store electrical energy temporarily. The term spans scientific instrumentation, HVAC systems, and microphone technology, where condensation principles or moisture control play a key role.
Condensers are devices or components that transform a gaseous or vaporous substance into a liquid through cooling or compression. In electronics, condensers (an older term for capacitors) store electrical energy temporarily. The term spans scientific instrumentation, HVAC systems, and microphone technology, where condensation principles or moisture control play a key role.
- Common Mistake 1: Dropping the second syllable vowel or flattening the /ɚ/ into a schwa in the middle; correction: maintain /ˈdɛn.dər/ and release the /d/ before the /ə/ more distinctly. - Common Mistake 2: Final - z pronounced as /s/ or hesitating on /z/; correction: finish with a voiced /z/ by gently vibrating the vocal folds, especially in slower speech. - Common Mistake 3: Misplacing stress as con-DEN-sers; correction: keep stress on the second syllable: /kənˈdɛn.dərz/; practice saying the word in isolation, then in phrases to lock the rhythm.
"The lab uses condensers to collect the distilled liquid from the reaction."
"In older schematics, you'll see condensers labeled as capacitors."
"The condenser coil in the air conditioner helps remove humidity."
Pronounce as kən-DEN-dərz, with the stress on the second syllable. IPA US: /kənˈdɛn.dərz/, UK: /kənˈden.dəz/; Australian: /kənˈden.dəz/. Start with a relaxed schwa, move to a clear 'den' vowel, then a soft 'dərz' ending. Listen for the final z sound and plural -s. A quick audio reference: you’ll hear the middle vowels and the final z when saying ‘condensers’ in standard contexts.
Two frequent errors: (1) misplacing stress, saying con-DEN-sers or con- DEN-sers with flat intonation; (2) mispronouncing the final -sers as -zers or failing to voice the final z. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable and ensuring the final /z/ is voiced with a clear alveolar contact. Practice the sequence /kənˈdɛn.dərz/ in slow, then normal tempo.
US: /kənˈdɛn.dərz/ with rhoticity and a crisp /ɚ/ in the second syllable; UK: /kənˈden.dəz/, with a lighter, non-rhotic ending and a schwa-like second syllable; AU: /kənˈden.dəz/ similar to UK, but with Australian vowel quality in /ɪ/ vs /e/ and a slightly more centralized first vowel. The key is the second syllable stress and the final voiced /z/.
The difficulty lies in the fast sequence kən- + ˈdɛn + dərz, where the mid stress can be misapplied and the final voiceless-to-voiced transition in /z/ can blur in rapid speech. The combination of a tense 'dɛn' cluster and an -ərz ending requires precise tongue positioning: fronted mid-vowel, alveolar stop release, and a clearly voiced fricative. Focus on the final syllable to ensure full vocalization of /z/.
The plural suffix -ers in condensers places the vowel quality of the preceding syllable under stress. Ensure you’re not reducing /ˈdɛn.dɚ/ to /ˈdɛn.dɚ/ with a reduced second vowel. Also ensure the contrast between /z/ and /s/ depending on the following sound in fast speech. In careful speech, you’ll recruit a full /dər/ with clear rhotic quality if accent permits.
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- US: rhotic, flapped or retroflex /ɹ/ depending on speaker; emphasize /ɚ/ in /dər/ and ensure clear /z/. - UK: non-rhotic; the second syllable vowel may approach /ə/; final /z/ is slightly softer; smooth transition from /n/ to /d/. - AU: tends toward bright vowels; maintain /ə/ in unstressed syllables; practice with a slightly higher mouth position for /ɪ/ vs /e/ in some speakers. IPA references: /kənˈdɛn.dərz/ (US), /kənˈden.dəz/ (UK), /kənˈden.dəz/ (AU).
The word condenser comes from Latin condensare, meaning to stamp or press together, from com- (together) + densare (to make dense), from densus (dense). In English, condenser historically referred to a device that makes something denser or more concentrated. The mathematical and physical sense emerged in the 18th–19th centuries as thermodynamics and instrumentation grown; in electrical engineering, condenser was used as the term for capacitors due to their function of storing energy in an electric field much like a condenser inhibits dispersion. The first widely recognized use in technical writing dates to the late 18th century in descriptions of distillation apparatus, and by the 19th century, “condenser” in electronics became common in British English texts, with “capacitor” gradually replacing it in American usage after mid-20th century, though “condenser microphone” remains in common usage for certain mic types today.
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Words that rhyme with "condensers"
-ers sounds
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