One syllable: crows.
/ˈkroʊz/
Say it backCrows is the plural form of crow, a large passerine bird known for its glossy black plumage and raucous call. In everyday use, crows also appears as a metaphor for scavenging or ominous events, but linguistically it denotes a plural noun. The word functions as a common, standard English plural with regular plural morphology and stress on the first syllable: CROWS.
"The crows perched along the wires, watching the field below."
"A chorus of crows filled the evening air with their loud caws."
"The flock of crows moved as one, swirling over the barn."
Pronounce as two phonemes: /krəʊz/ in UK and /kroʊz/ in US; Australia tends toward /kroːz/. The initial cluster /kr/ requires simultaneous tongue tip contact with the alveolar ridge and a small, rounded lip posture for the -ro- vowel. The final /z/ is a voiced alveolar fricative. Emphasize a light, extended /oʊ/ or /oː/ vowel before the final /z/. Try saying: KROH-zz with a clear z at the end; you’ll hear the light breathy/voiced z.”,
Common errors: 1) Dropping the /r/ or altering its color to /kroʊz/ or /kos/; 2) Shortening the vowel to a quick /o/ or mispronouncing as /krəts/; 3) Voicing the final /z/ too softly or as a /s/ due to voiceless confusion. Correction: keep the /r/ strongly attached in the initial cluster, maintain the rounded, mid-back vowel /oʊ/ or /oː/ before the final /z/, and finish with a clear voicing; practice with minimal pairs like /kroʊz/ vs /kroːs/.
US: /kroʊz/ with rhotic r, strong back rounded vowel before z. UK: /krəʊz/ with non-rhotic r in some accents and a more centralized first vowel; AU: /kroːz/ with a broader fronted or longer vowel in some regions. The major differences lie in rhoticity and vowel length/quality: US tends to preserve r more prominently inside the syllable, UK often reduces the r and broadens the diphthong, AU can have a longer, more clipped or tense vowel depending on speaker. Listen for the difference in the first vowel and the final /z/ voicing.
The challenge comes from the consonant cluster /kr/ at the start and the voiced alveolar fricative /z/ at the end. Keep both the velar and alveolar articulations precise and smooth; avoid turning /kr/ into /k/ or /gr/. Practicing with minimal pairs like /kroʊz/ vs /kros/ helps. Additionally, ensure the vowel before z isn’t shortened to /ɑ/ or reduced to a schwa; keep a tense, rounded vowel /oʊ/ or /oː/ before the final /z/.
A unique aspect is the consistent final /z/ voicing; ensure the final sound isn’t a voiceless /s/. Also focus on the contrastive vowel length before z: you want a clear, long /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK) before /z/. Check mouth position in shadowing with a native speaker and pay attention to the transition from the rounded vowel to the voiced fricative.
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The word crow comes from Old English crōw (plural crōwas in some forms) with the sense of the corvid bird. The plural crows emerged through regular English pluralization, suffixing -s to the singular crow. The root likely traces to Proto-Germanic kruwwaz, which is linked to various cognates across Germanic languages for the same bird. The religious, literary, and folkloric associations with crows as omens or scavengers reinforced the word’s cultural presence in Middle English; by Early Modern English, crows as a plural noun referencing the birds was firmly established in standard usage. The modern pronunciation features an /oʊ/ or /oʊ/-like vowel in the first syllable and a final /z/ voicing, reflecting typical plural noun phonology in English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "crows" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "crows"
-ows sounds
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