3 syllables: con, fig, ure. Stress on fig.
/kəˈnfɪɡjɚ/
configure is pronounced /kəˈnfɪɡjɚ/. It has three syllables (con-fig-ure), with the stress on "fig". Configure means to arrange or set up something to fit a particular purpose or condition. It often refers to adjusting settings, parameters, or components so that a system or device operates in a desired way. The term encompasses both physical arrangement and software-level customization, typically implying intentional alignment with specific requirements.
Say it backConfigure means to arrange or set up something to fit a particular purpose or condition. It often refers to adjusting settings, parameters, or components so that a system or device operates in a desired way. The term encompasses both physical arrangement and software-level customization, typically implying intentional alignment with specific requirements.
"She needed to configure the network router to optimize throughput."
"Before the demo, configure the software with the correct user permissions and settings."
"The engineer configured the pipeline to reduce latency and improve reliability."
Say con-FIG-ure. It breaks down as /ˈkɒn.fɪ.ɡjʊər/ in UK English or /ˈkən.fə.ɡjʊr/ in US English, with primary stress on the second syllable. Place your tongue high for the /ɡ/ onset in the third syllable, and finish with a light /jʊər/ or /ˈjər/ sound. For listening practice, compare with 'configure' in Cambridge and Oxford audio samples to hear the US-friendly reduction of the first syllable.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (often-CH) and mispronouncing the final -ure as /juːr/ or incorrectly as /ər/. Also people may compact it to /ˈkɒn.fəˌgɜːr/ or drop the /ɡj/ cluster. Correction: keep secondary stress on the second syllable and articulate the /ɡ/ followed by a clear /j/ onset into the /ʊər/ or /ər/ ending. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'con-figure' vs 'config-ure' helps cement the correct split.
In US English you’ll hear /ˈkən.fəˌɡjʊr/ or /ˈkɑːn.fɪˌɡjʊr/, with a schwa in the first syllable and a rhotic ending. UK listeners tend to /ˈkɒn.fɪˌɡjʊər/ with a clearer /ə/ in the second vowel and non-rhotic or light rhotic tendencies depending on the speaker. Australian speakers often merge the second syllable vowels toward /ɪ/ or /ə/ and maintain a clear /j/ before the final /ə/ or /əː/. The key is maintaining the /ɡj/ sequence before the final /ər/ or /ər/.
Three factors make it tricky: the consonant cluster /ɡj/ between vowels can blur in fast speech, the stress pattern places emphasis on the middle syllable which can feel unusual, and the final /ər/ or /ər/ can reduce to a soft schwa, leading to truncation if rushed. Focus on keeping the /ɡ/ clearly tied to the /j/ onset and finish with a crisp, unstressed ending. If you’re careful with IPA and mouth positions, you’ll maintain accuracy in formal and casual contexts.
A practical tip is to anchor the /j/ onset to the /ɡ/ by signaling the sound with a light tongue blade rise just before the /j/ glide, then sweep into the /ʊr/ or /ər/ ending. This helps prevent the /j/ from slipping into the preceding vowel and keeps the sequence tight, especially in careful speech. Visualize it as con-fih-gyuur, with the /j/ beginning the transition into the trailing rhotic vowel.
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Configure derives from the Latin conferre, meaning to bring together or compare. The prefix con- (together) plus -ferre (to bring, bear) yielded conferre in Latin, later generalized in medieval Latin as configurare (to form, shape, fashion, arrange). The English adoption likely occurred in the 15th-16th centuries, borrowed through French configuré or Italian configurare variants, reflecting the sense of forming or arranging parts to meet a purpose. The modern sense of 'to set up or arrange to operate in a particular way' emerged with the rise of technical and organizational terminology in computing, networking, and systems administration in the 20th century. Over time, configure gained a specifically actionable nuance in IT: configuring hardware and software parameters to achieve desired performance, compatibility, and security. The word’s evolution also mirrors broader shifts in standardization, where precise parameterization became essential for reproducible results and predictable behavior across platforms. First known uses in English appear in technical writings of the early modern period, solidifying its place in the lexicon of engineering and information technology.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "configure" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "configure" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "configure"
-ore sounds
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