3 syllables: cre, vi, ces. Stress on cre.
/ˈkɹɛvɪsɪz/
Say it backCrevices are narrow openings or fissures, typically in rock or earth, that expose underlying structures or cavities. The term often describes small, irregular gaps where surfaces meet or crack apart. It conveys a sense of confinement within a rugged interior and is used in geology, architecture, and natural scenery to denote hidden or partly concealed spaces.
- You’ll often hear a slightly longer first syllable; aim to keep CREV brief and energetic, not stretched. - The middle syllable can reduce to a muted /ɪ/ or even a schwa; keep it as /ɪ/ to maintain a crisp rhythm. - Final -ices should be /ɪz/, not /iz/ or /siz/; avoid voicing shifts that turn it into /z/ or /ɪz/ inconsistently. - In rapid speech, the -s can blur into the next word; practice linking while keeping the final /ɪz/ audible. - A common mistake is substituting /v/ with /f/ due to lip tension; keep teeth-tip contact to sustain /v/.
"The hikers explored the crevices in the canyon wall to reach a sheltered ledge."
"Wind and water had carved tiny crevices through the limestone over thousands of years."
"Her careful fingers slipped into the crevices to retrieve a dropped earring."
Say CRE-vi-siz with stress on the first syllable: /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/. The final cluster is a light -ɪz, so don’t overemphasize the z. Think of two quick syllables followed by a softer, lighter -ɪz. Visualize: CREV-ih-ziz, with the mouth slightly closed and the tongue relaxed in the middle of the mouth. Reference: Cambridge/Oxford dictionaries also show /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/. You’ll hear the same in geologic talks and nature writing, which helps anchor the rhythm.
Common errors: (1) Stressed second syllable (cre-VI-ses) due to misplacing weight in multisyllabic words. (2) Slurring the middle vowel to a schwa /ə/ (cre-uh-siz). (3) Final -es pronounced as /ɪz/ quickly but with too much emphasis or as /siz/ in careful speech. Correction: keep the first syllable stressed and brief, reduce the middle vowel to /ɪ/, and end with a clean /ɪz/—like /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/. Practicing with minimal pairs can help solidify the pattern.
US: truly rhotics, but crevices remains /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/ with stable /r/ and clear /ɪ/. UK: similarly /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/ but with non-rhoticity in surrounding vowels; crevices itself keeps /r/ sound in careful speech. Australia: tends to be similar to US but with slightly tighter vowels and a more clipped /t/ or /Ɉ/ effect in rapid speech. Overall, the word is stable; the main differences lie in surrounding vowel quality and intonation, not the core consonant cluster.
Difficult because of the consonant cluster -cv- at the start and the final -ces pronunciation. The /v/ requires a tight lower lip to touch upper teeth, while the /r/ in some accents can blend with neighboring vowels, making the initial syllable less crisp. The final -sɪz/ must remain light and not merge into a single /z/.
Crevices features a three-syllable pattern with a stressed first syllable and a light, unstressed final -ɪz. The tricky part is maintaining a short, clear /v/ and avoiding a yod-like /j/ before the final /ɪz/. In careful articulation, you can think CREV-ih-siz, ensuring the /v/ and /z/ contrasts stay clean in rapid speech.
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- US: rhotic, stronger /ɹ/ and slightly more rounded vowels; emphasize the /ɪ/ in the second syllable; keep final /ɪz/ crisp. - UK: non-rhotic in surrounding speech; ensure the /r/ is not overly pronounced in the middle; final /ɪz/ remains clear. - AU: vowel quality tends toward the closer front vowel in the first syllable; the /v/ is same articulation; keep a slightly shorter /ɪ/ in the middle and a lighter final /ɪz/. IPA references: US /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/, UK /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/, AU /ˈkrɛvɪsɪz/.
Crevice comes from the Old French crevis, from crevir, later process of Latin crepitus meaning ‘a crack or breaking.’ The modern English form likely derives from Early Modern English usage in the 15th–16th centuries, when geology and architecture adopted terms denoting narrow openings. The root cre- suggests breaking or cracking, while -v- and -ice suffixes align with other French-influenced words denoting a state or condition. The word’s semantic evolution tracks from general rupture to specifically narrow fissures in rock or earth, later extending metaphorically to spaces within any surface or structure. First known usages appear in scientific and descriptive texts in the Renaissance as scholars scrutinized rock formations and cave interiors, then spreading to common geology, archeology, and even figurative language about hidden spaces. In contemporary usage, crevice denotes a small, irregular crack most often encountered in natural materials but also used in architecture and machinery to describe narrow, hard-to-reach gaps. Cross-linguistic relatives include French crevasse (from crevasse), embracing similar meanings but with slightly broader usage for natural fissures and openings.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "crevices" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "crevices"
-ves sounds
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