One syllable: Cuss.
kuhs
/kʌs/
Cuss is pronounced kuhs (/kʌs/). It has one syllable (Cuss), with the stress on "Cuss". Cuss is a widely used noun describing a rude or profane person, often a swearing individual. It can also refer to a curse or oath, particularly in informal or colloquial speech. In conversation, it typically signals strong emotion or insult rather than a formal term, and is generally considered impolite in polite settings.
nounCuss is a widely used noun describing a rude or profane person, often a swearing individual. It can also refer to a curse or oath, particularly in informal or colloquial speech. In conversation, it typically signals strong emotion or insult rather than a formal term, and is generally considered impolite in polite settings.
"The old sailor was known as a real cuss, always dropping salty comments."
"Don’t be such a cuss when you lose—just shake it off and try again."
"That cuss of a dog kept barking all night, and we couldn’t sleep."
Pronounce as /kʌs/ with a short, flat /ʌ/ vowel. The mouth starts with a relaxed open jaw, lips unrounded, and the tongue low-mid under the jaw. End with a crisp /s/ sibilant. Stress is on the single syllable; there is no vowel reduction or extra syllable. Think “cuss” as in “cuss word,” not “cusp.” IPA: US/UK/AU: /kʌs/.
Two common errors: (1) Speaking with a longer, rounded /ɔ/ or /ɑ/ vowel instead of /ʌ/, and (2) voicing the final /s/ as /z/ (sonorant) or adding a tense vowel after it. Correction: keep the vowel centralized as /ʌ/ and end with a voiceless /s/—feel air flowing at the teeth. Practice with “bus” and “cuss” to feel the difference in voicing. Consistency in the /s/ hiss helps clarity.
In US, UK, and AU, the initial /k/ and the vowel /ʌ/ remain consistent, with rhoticity affecting surrounding vowels in connected speech. US accents often have a sharper /s/ with high-frequency voicing; UK and AU may exhibit slight vowel length differences and reduced rhotic influence in some dialects. Overall, /kʌs/ stays stable across regions, but the following consonantal environment and tempo can alter perceived quality. IPA reference: /kʌs/.
The challenge lies in producing a precise, unvoiced /s/ after a short /ʌ/ vowel; many learners slip into a voiced /z/ or elongate the vowel. Additionally, the unrounded, lax vowel /ʌ/ can be mispronounced by speakers of languages with more front or back vowels. Achieve clarity by practicing a clean alveolar sibilant and keeping the tongue relaxed yet controlled. IPA: /kʌs/.
The word’s tight, monosyllabic structure demands quick, precise onset with a clean stop release into the high-front alveolar sibilant. There’s no vowel length variation in typical American usage, so the challenge is maintaining the single-syllable integrity while avoiding an intrusive glide before the /s/. IPA reminder: /kʌs/.
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Cuss originates from the verb cuss, itself a shortened form of cuss, derived from the Middle English ‘cus’ in the sense of “to utter oaths” and of uncertain origin. The noun sense of a “curse” or “profanity” emerged in the Early Modern English period as religious and magical invocations faded into everyday swear terms. The term carried connotations of a sharp temper or a person who swears frequently, evolving into common slang for an obstreperous or disagreeable individual. By the 19th and 20th centuries, cuss solidified as a standalone noun referring both to the illegitimate language itself and the person who uses it. In American English, “cuss” is firmly entrenched as informal vocabulary, often used in a light-hearted or humorous way among friends, though it can still carry offense in formal contexts. The word’s portability across contexts—from nautical slang to everyday venting—reflects its flexible pragmatic load, shaped by social norms around profanity and politeness. First known uses appear in print in the 1800s in regional dialects, with broader adoption in popular culture by the late 19th century and into modern times with various connotations depending on tone, speaker, and audience.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Cuss" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Cuss"
-uss sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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