Corsage is a small bouquet of flowers worn or carried for a formal occasion, typically pinned to a dress or worn on the wrist. The term emphasizes decorative floral adornment and ceremonial use, often associated with events like proms or weddings. It denotes a specific floral arrangement rather than generic bouquets.
"She wore a delicate corsage on her wrist to the prom, matching her dress."
"The florist prepared a corsage featuring pink roses and baby's breath."
"At the ceremony, the mothers exchanged corsages as a token of appreciation."
"He pinned a corsage to his lapel for the milestone celebration."
Corsage traces its roots to the French word corsage, meaning a bodice or a waist—derived from late Latin corsāgium, and ultimately from the Greek korsēgion, with the sense of surrounding or enclosing. In English, corsage began to denote a floral arrangement worn at formal events in the 19th century, as fashion and flower styling intersected at social ceremonies. The sense evolved from simply a floral cluster worn near the bodice to a distinct accessory, often pinned to the shoulder or wrist, reflecting a social symbol of celebration or homage. Over time, corsages became a staple in proms, weddings, and formal ceremonies, with regional variations in how they are worn and styled. The term is sometimes confused with boutonniere, a similar floral accent worn by men, while corsage is typically worn by women or as a decorative wrist bouquet. First known uses in English literature appear in fashion and society reporting from the mid-1800s, aligning with the democratization of floral fashion in formal events.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Corsage" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Corsage"
-age sounds
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Corsage is pronounced /ˈkɔːr.sɪdʒ/ in UK and US standards, with the first syllable stressed. The 'cors' part rhymes with 'core' and the second syllable has a soft 'zh' sound as in 'measure' or 'garage' (sound /ʒ/). Start with a rounded back vowel in the first syllable, then glide to a voiced postalveolar fricative for -sage. Think: 'KOR-sahzh'. Audio reference: you can compare with common pronunciation videos on Pronounce or Forvo for native speaker nuance.
Two frequent errors: misplacing the vowel in the first syllable (using a short /ɒ/ as in 'cot' rather than the broad /ɔː/ in 'caught'), and turning the final -age into a hard 'g' sound or 'j' (/dʒ/). Correct by ensuring /ɔːr/ in the first syllable and a voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ for the second syllable, not a /dʒ/. Also avoid trailing 'ee' rounding; keep it concise: 'KOR-sahzh'.
In US and UK, /ˈkɔːr.sɪdʒ/ or /ˈkɔːr.sɑːʒ/—the first syllable bears the broad /ɔː/, rhoticity varies: US usually rhymes 'or' with /ɔːr/. UK often has non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech, though /r/ is present in this word as a coda cluster; the final /ʒ/ remains consistent. Australian English also uses /ˈkɔː.sɪdʒ/ with similar non-rhotic tendencies but with subtle vowel widening. Overall, the /ɔː/ vowel and /ʒ/ fricative dominate across accents.
Because of the combination of a broad /ɔː/ vowel in the first syllable and the voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ in the second syllable, which is less common in many learners' native languages. The cluster /r/ in the first syllable plus /s/ before /ɑɪ/ or /ɪ/ can tempt you to misplace the /r/ and mispronounce the ending as /dʒ/ or /dʒə/. Focus on keeping the /ɔː/ sound long and the -age as /ʒ/ rather than /dʒ/.
A unique feature is the final -sage pronounced with the /ʒ/ sound, not /dʒ/ or /z/. The syllable boundary is clear: KOR - sage, with a long /ɔː/ followed by the /r/ and then the /s/ cluster, culminating in /ʒ/. Maintain a light, unimpressed mouth posture for /ʒ/ and avoid an audible 's' or 'z' coloration before it. This precise fricative is the telltale cue for correct Corsage pronunciation.
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