2 syllables: Cou, pon. Stress on Cou.
KOO-pawn
/ˈkuˌpɔn/
Coupon is pronounced KOO-pawn (/ˈkuˌpɔn/). It has two syllables (Cou-pon), with the stress on "Cou". Coupon is a small printed voucher that entitles the holder to a discount or special offer on a product or service. It functions as a monetary incentive used in marketing, often requiring redemption at the point of sale. The word also appears as a countable noun for the unit of discount itself, and in some contexts refers to the coupon code used online.
nounCoupon is a small printed voucher that entitles the holder to a discount or special offer on a product or service. It functions as a monetary incentive used in marketing, often requiring redemption at the point of sale. The word also appears as a countable noun for the unit of discount itself, and in some contexts refers to the coupon code used online.
- You may default to saying 'koo-pon' with a flat /oʊ/ or /oʊ/ vowel instead of the correct /uː/ or /juː/ sequence in the first syllable. To fix, practice the glide: gradually move from /k/ to /juː/ to /p/, keeping the tongue high and the lips rounded before the /p/ release. - Final syllable often becomes /ən/ or is muted in rapid speech; practice isolating the final /ɒn/ by saying 'con' with a bright, back vowel; hold the nasal. Then blend into the word to avoid a clipped ending. - Some speakers misplace stress, saying 'cu-POHN.' Remember: primary stress is on the first syllable; ensure the stressed syllable has longer duration and higher pitch than the second. - Consonant cluster: /p/ + /n/ can be tricky; ensure a clean bilabial stop release followed by the nasal /n/, not an intrusive or skipped /n/.
"I found a coupon for 20% off my favorite shampoo."
"We’ll mail you a coupon you can redeem at any participating store."
"She handed me a grocery coupon before checkout."
US: /ˈkuːpɑːn/ or /ˈkuːpɒn/ depending on regional vowel shifts; UK/AU: /ˈkjuː.pɒn/. The primary stress sits on the first syllable. Start with a long 'oo' sound as in 'cue,' then a lighter, shorter 'p' before the final 'on' (/ɒn/). Move the lips from rounded to neutral, keep the jaw relatively open, and end with a soft, released nasal. Listen for variation in the final vowel depending on dialect.
Two frequent errors: 1) Over-reducing the final syllable to /ən/ with an indistinct vowel; aim for /ɒn/ in non-rhotic accents or /ən/ in some American dialects. 2) Substituting /juː/ with /uː/ in the first syllable, producing 'koo-poon' instead of 'kyoo-poon'; keep the /juː/ sequence in first syllable if your dialect preserves it. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the /juː/ vs /uː/ distinction and ensure clear 'p' onset.
US tends toward /ˈkuːpɔn/ or /ˈkuːpɒn/ with a pronounced /ɒ/ in some regions; UK and AU typically favor /ˈkjuː.pɒn/ with a light /ˌjuː/ onset and a rounded first vowel, though some US speakers also use /kjuːpɒn/. Rhoticity is reduced in many UK contexts, making the final 'n' more prominent. Overall, the first syllable vowel quality is the main cross-dialect difference: /uː/ vs /juː/ onset and the influence of post-vocalic R.
The difficulty lies in the /juː/ glide in the first syllable versus a plain /uː/ in some American pronunciations, and the final /ɒn/ vs /ən/ that can blur in casual speech. Also, the 'p' is held briefly, which contrasts with fast speech where it may be slightly elided or softened. Distinct lip rounding transitioning from /juː/ to /ɒ/ or /ɒn/ is a subtle articulatory challenge that benefits from careful mouth position awareness.
A common search is about whether to pronounce the second syllable with a schwa or a full vowel. The canonical form typically uses a clear /ɒ/ or /ɒn/ in many dialects, not a reduced /ən/, but in rapid speech some speakers do reduce it slightly. Another point is that some speakers honor the /juː/ onset, while others compress it toward /uː/. Knowing when to maintain /juː/ can distinguish careful speech from casual speech.
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- US: tend to maintain /juː/ or /uː/ depending on dialect; emphasize a rounded, forward lip position leading into /p/; ensure the 'p' is a clear, unreleased or lightly released stop as you move to /n/. - UK: often keep the /juː/ cluster more distinctly; you may hear a slight non-rhoticity, where the final /n/ is less velarized. - AU: similar to UK, with a tall, clear /juː/ onset and crisp /p/ + /n/ transition; vowel quality tends to be more fronted, with /ɒ/ in final. Use IPA references to check your target accent: /ˈkuːpɒn/ (US), /ˈkjuː.pɒn/ (UK/AU).
Coupon comes from the Old French coupon or covon, meaning a little note or receipt, which itself traces to the Late Latin cuponum, from cupere meaning to desire or to want, reflecting the idea of a token that grants a benefit. The modern sense of a voucher or discounted item emerged in commerce in the 19th century as marketing materials became more standardized and consumer-facing. In American usage, the term settled into everyday retail, especially with printed booklets and later digital codes. The word’s pronunciation varied regionally as English absorbed spelling pronunciations; by the 20th century, coupon commonly referred to both a physical discount and a code used online. Some dialects historically stressed the second syllable, while others emphasize the first, contributing to ongoing variation in American and British speech. In contemporary usage,_coupon_ has extended to digital and promotional contexts, while still carrying the core idea of a token that yields savings, whether in-store or online.
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Words that rhyme with "Coupon"
-oon sounds
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