3 syllables: con, nect, ion. Stress on nect.
kuh-NEK-shuhn
/kəˈnɛkʃən/
connection is pronounced kuh-NEK-shuhn (/kəˈnɛkʃən/). It has three syllables (con-nect-ion), with the stress on "nect". A common noun or verb meaning a relation or link between people, objects, or ideas; also used to describe a network channel or hyperlink. In everyday use, it refers to how things are joined or associated, and can denote social rapport, logical relevance, or communications pathways. The term carries formal and informal usage, with the noun emphasizing ties and the verb emphasis forming or establishing links.
A common noun or verb meaning a relation or link between people, objects, or ideas; also used to describe a network channel or hyperlink. In everyday use, it refers to how things are joined or associated, and can denote social rapport, logical relevance, or communications pathways. The term carries formal and informal usage, with the noun emphasizing ties and the verb emphasis forming or establishing links.
"• The new app creates a seamless connection between devices."
"• She felt an instant emotional connection with her mentor."
"• The internet cable provides a high-speed connection to the server."
Pronounce as /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ in General American and /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ in UK English. The stress falls on the second syllable: con-NEK-shun. Start with a reduced first syllable /kə/, then a clear /ˈnɛk/ and end with /-ʃən/. Lip position: neutral to slightly rounded for /ə/, and spread for /i/—actually /ɛ/; keep the jaw relaxed. IPA reference helps: US /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/.
Two frequent errors: 1) Slurring the middle /nɛk/ into /nekt/ or /nek/ with poor vowel clarity; 2) Misplacing stress as con-NEK-tion vs coN-NEC-tion; ensure the primary stress is on the second syllable. With practice, keep the /ɛ/ clear (like ‘bet’) and avoid turning /k/ into a hard stop too early. Focus on maintaining a light, quick /n/ bridge into /ɪt/ syllable loss when rapid.
In US English, /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ with rhotic /r/ absent; in many UK dialects, /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ without rhoticity, with a slightly shorter vowel in /ə/ and crisper /n/. Australian tends to keep /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ but with a broader diphthong in /ə/ and a quicker transition, sometimes vowel height is a touch lower. Overall, stress pattern remains on the second syllable across these varieties.
It combines a voiced alveolar nasal /n/ with a clean /ɛ/ vowel and a palato-alveolar /tʃ/ onset for the third syllable, which can create a slight blend when spoken quickly. The shift from /k/ to /ɪ/ (unstressed) and the weak first syllable /kə/ can hide the transition, causing listeners to misplace the stress. Mastering the intermediate /nɛk/ and the /tʃ/ onset helps a lot.
The blend from /k/ to /n/ to /tʃ/ creates a quick, multi-phoneme transition that challenges learners to maintain distinct consonant boundaries, especially at natural speech tempo. Emphasize the crisp /n/ articulation ending the second syllable before the /tʃ/ onset. Practicing with a controlled pace helps you stabilize the sequence con-NЕK-tion rather than slurring to one syllable.
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- US: rhoticity minimal; vowels are lax in the first syllable, with a clear /ə/ in /kə/ and a compact /ɛ/ in /ˈnɛk/. - UK: slightly shorter /ə/ and crisper /tʃ/; non-rhotic; keep lips rounded slightly for /ə/. - AU: similar to US but with broader vowel quality in /ə/ and relaxed jaw; may carry a gliding /ɔ/ in some speakers.
The word connection comes from the Latin connectio, from con- ‘together’ + nectere ‘to bind’. The root nec- evolves through French lien de connexion and Anglo-Norman conneccioun before entering Middle English as connectioun, then connection. Early senses focused on binding or joining objects or people; by the 15th–16th centuries, it broadened to describe relationships, alliances, and logical or causal links. In modern English, 'connection' uniquely blends tangible links (cables, cords) with abstract ties (social bonds, ideas). The term also appears in computing and networking as physical or virtual pathways. First known use in English dates to the 15th century in forms like connectioun, with gradually standardized spelling by the 17th century. Over time, the pronunciation shifted toward the modern /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ in General American and /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ in UK English, while maintaining the two-syllable-then-stress pattern that favors the second syllable, reflecting the noun-to-verb derivative stress dynamics that evolved in English usage. The sense of establishing an association remains central, though context-specific meanings (social, technical, informational) have expanded, mirroring changes in communication technology and interpersonal networks.
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Words that rhyme with "connection"
-ion sounds
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