4 syllables: Co, pu, la, tion. Stress on la.
koh-pyuh-LAY-shuhn
/ˌkoʊ.pjəˈleɪ.ʃən/
Copulation is pronounced koh-pyuh-LAY-shuhn (/ˌkoʊ.pjəˈleɪ.ʃən/). It has four syllables (Co-pu-la-tion), with the stress on "la". Copulation is the act of sexual intercourse between individuals. As a formal, biological term, it is used in scientific, legal, and academic contexts to describe the mating process. The word emphasizes the physical joining and reproductive aspect, and is typically encountered in neutral, descriptive discourse rather than casual conversation.
nounCopulation is the act of sexual intercourse between individuals. As a formal, biological term, it is used in scientific, legal, and academic contexts to describe the mating process. The word emphasizes the physical joining and reproductive aspect, and is typically encountered in neutral, descriptive discourse rather than casual conversation.
- Misplacing the primary stress on the first or second syllable. Correct by rehearsing: co-PU-la-tion with a strong, sustained peak on the third syllable, using a finger-tall outline to feel the stress shift. - Incorrectly separating /pj/ into /p/ and /j/; practice the palatal blend /pj/ as a single move from the /u/ vowel into the /l/ onset of la. - Underpronouncing the final -tion as /tən/; instead pronounce /ʃən/. Tip: go through a practice sequence slowly: co-pu-LAY-shən, then accelerate while keeping the jaw relaxed and the tongue ready for /ʃ/.
How to Pronounce Copulation
"Researchers studied copulation patterns in the species to understand mating behavior."
"The medical report described copulation as part of the reproductive cycle."
"In zoology texts, copulation is analyzed alongside fertilization and gestation."
US/UK/AU: Copulation is pronounced ko-pyu-LAY-shən, with primary stress on the third syllable LA. IPA: US /ˌkoʊ.pjuˈleɪ.ʃən/; UK /ˌkɒ.pjuˈleɪ.ʃən/; AU /ˌkɒ.pjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/. Break it into co-pu-la-tion, note the /pj/ cluster after the first vowel and the final schwa in -tion. Start with /koʊ/ or /ˈkɒ/ depending on accent, then /pju/, then /ˈleɪ.ʃən/.
Common errors include misplacing the primary stress (putting emphasis on the first or second syllable instead of the third), and mispronouncing the /pj/ cluster as /p/ + /j/ separately (you should blend them as a palatal approximant). Another frequent error is reducing -tion to a hard /tən/ instead of /ʃən/. Correct by practicing the sequence co-pu-LA-tion with a smooth /pj/ and a clear /ʃən/ at the end.
In US English you’ll hear /ˌkoʊ.pjuˈleɪ.ʃən/ with a noticeable /oʊ/ and /pj/?; in British English the first vowel is more clipped /ˌkɒ.pjuˈleɪ.ʃən/ with less diphthongal length; Australian tends toward /ˌkɒ.pjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/ with a shorter /ɒ/ and a slightly rounded /u/ in /pjʊ/. Across all, the /pj/ blends, the /leɪ/ diphthong, and final /ən/ remain consistent.
The difficulty lies in the adjacent consonant cluster /pj/ after the first vowel and the multisyllabic rhythm with the pronounced stress on the third syllable. The /pj/ blend requires a quick transition from the vowel to a palatal approximant, and the final /ʃən/ in -tion can be tricky if you’re not mindful of the /ʃ/ + /ən/ sequence. Practice by isolating those parts and then blending.
Copulation is fully phonetic in standard English; there are no silent letters. Every syllable carries a sound: co- /ˈkoʊ/ or /ˈkɒ/; pu- /pj/; la- /leɪ/; tion /ʃən/. Ensure you articulate the /ʃ/ sound in the final syllable rather than collapsing into /ən/.
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- US: rhotic pronunciation; maintain a clear /ɹ/ in linked speech, but for copulation the word itself is not rhotic-heavy; focus on the /oʊ/ diphthong and /pj/ blending. - UK: shorter /ɒ/ in the initial syllable and a crisper /pj/ cluster; emphasis on the /eɪ/ in the third syllable; the final /ən/ is lighter. - AU: similar to UK but with a slightly more relaxed intonation; watch for /pjʊ/ vs /pj/ sequences, many speakers produce a subtle /ju/ between /pj/ and /leɪ/. Use IPA references and keep a steady rhythm across accents.
Copulation comes from the Latin copulatio, from the verb copulare meaning to join together, bind, or couple. The root Latin noun copulatio derives from copulus, a bound or joined thing, and the prefix co- (together) plus -pulare (to bind/join, from Latin pellere to push). The term entered English through early modern science and medicine, reflecting a period when precise Latin-based nomenclature was adopted for anatomical and reproductive phenomena. Over centuries, copulation maintained its core sense of physical joining for sexual union, while expanding into various scientific disciplines—biology, zoology, and medicine—where it preserves a formal, clinical tone. Its usage has remained relatively narrow and technical, distinguishing it from colloquial terms for sex. First known uses trace to medical and natural history writings of the 17th–18th centuries, aligned with the rise of systematic study of reproduction and animal behavior in scholarly English. The word’s Latin lineage also links to related terms such as “couple” and “coupling,” underscoring a shared semantic thread of bringing two entities together to form a union. In modern usage, copulation is widely understood in scientific literature and educational resources, though less common in everyday language due to its formal connotations.
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Words that rhyme with "Copulation"
-ion sounds
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