2 syllables: cut, tings. Stress on cut.
KUHT-ingz
/ˈkʌtɪŋz/
cuttings is pronounced KUHT-ingz (/ˈkʌtɪŋz/). It has two syllables (cut-tings), with the stress on "cut". Cuttings refers to small pieces or cuts taken from something, often for propagation or examination, or to the act of cutting in multiple places. It can describe remnants from harvesting or trimming. The word functions as a plural noun or verb form in different contexts, with primary stress on the first syllable. In specialized settings it appears in horticulture, botany, and crafts.
Cuttings refers to small pieces or cuts taken from something, often for propagation or examination, or to the act of cutting in multiple places. It can describe remnants from harvesting or trimming. The word functions as a plural noun or verb form in different contexts, with primary stress on the first syllable. In specialized settings it appears in horticulture, botany, and crafts.
- You often insert an extra vowel after /t/ or soften the /t/ too much, saying /ˈkutɪŋz/ instead of /ˈkʌtɪŋz/. Try to keep the /t/ more clearly released before /ɪ/. - Some speakers mispronounce the final /ŋz/ as separate sounds or drop the /z/ entirely, producing /ˈkʌtɪŋ/—the plural mark is crucial; always voice /z/. - Finally, learners may swap the initial vowel to /uː/ or /ɔː/; keep the short /ʌ/ as in 'cup' for accuracy.
"The gardener collected the cuttings to propagate new plants."
"You’ll need to label the cuttings before they dry out."
"The chef sorted the herb cuttings and discarded the stems."
Pronounce as /ˈkʌtɪŋz/. Put primary stress on the first syllable: KUT-ings, with a short u as in cup, a light schwa-like reduction in the second syllable, and an audible z at the end. In careful speech, maintain a clean /t/ before the nasal /ɪŋ/ sequence; in fast speech, the t can be alveolar tap-like. Audio references: you can compare with Forvo pronunciations of 'cutting' and 'cuttings' linked to regional speakers.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying /ˈkjuːtɪŋz/ or /ˈkʌtɪŋz/ with a long vowel) and mispronouncing the ending as a hard /s/ or silent. Another error is blending /t/ and /ɪ/ into a vague /tɪ/ cluster or omitting the /ŋ/ nasal; some learners say /ˈkɒtɪnz/ or /ˈkʌtɪnz/. Correction: keep /ˈkʌtɪŋz/ with clear /t/ before the /ɪŋ/ and finish with a voiced /z/. Practice block: isolate the /ˈkʌ/ and then practice the /tɪŋz/ sequence precisely.
In US/UK/AU, the initial vowel remains /ʌ/ (short u as in 'cup') and the final syllable adds a voiced /z/. Rhoticity affects only vowel length around r-lessness; none of these dialects add (/ɹ/) in the word itself. In non-rhotic UK accents, the /z/ remains fully voiced; in rhotic US/AU accents the /r/ is not present in this word anyway, but vowel quality before /t/ can slightly differ: US often has a slightly tenser /ʌ/; UK may sound a touch more centralized. The main difference is rhythm and intonation context rather than segment changes.
The difficulty comes from smoothly transitioning from the /t/ to the /ɪ/ into the /ŋ/ nasal cluster and then to a voiced /z/ in rapid speech. The sequence /tɪŋz/ can lead to blending or flapping in US English if not careful, and the /ŋ/ can mold toward an /ŋz/ coarticulation. You’ll hear tension between keeping the alveolar stop distinct and starting the nasal onset; practice focusing on a crisp /t/ before the /ɪ/ and an audible, separate /ŋ/ before /z/.
The plural ending -ings with a z-voicing in /z/ can be tricky because many learners expect /s/ or a voiceless /z/. The correct is /-ɪŋz/ with voiced z. Another aspect is the Schwa-like reduction in the second syllable; ensure the second syllable is light, not fully stressed. Also the initial cluster /kt/ can influence the following vowel; keep the /t/ crisp before /ɪ/. This is a word where careful attention to timing and voicing matters.
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- US: keep rhotic vowels distinct; the /ɹ/ is not in the word, but you should maintain a neutral tongue root posture so the /t/ doesn’t blend into the /ɪ/. - UK: you may perceive a crisper /t/ and slightly more clipped /ɪ/; keep the second syllable light and quick. - AU: similar to US with even more relaxed jaw; avoid turning /t/ into a flap in connected speech. In all, practice maintaining the /ˈkʌtɪŋz/ shape and voicing for final /z/.
Cuttings is derived from the verb cut, from Old English cuttian (to cut, to carve, to cut into pieces). The noun form cuttings emerged by adding -ing as a verbal noun/gerund to describe objects produced by cutting or the act of cutting. The sense related to plant propagation (sprigs or slips used for rooting) developed over time as horticulture and agriculture advanced, with written attestations appearing in early modern farming texts. The word’s core meaning centers on segments produced by cutting, whether for propagation, trimming, or study. By the 17th–19th centuries, cuttings was used broadly to denote fragments resulting from any cleaving process, later narrowing in botany to plant propagation and in crafts to material remnants. In modern usage, cuttings is a versatile term appearing in gardening, culinary prep, and industry contexts, where the emphasis is on the piece produced by a cut, rather than the whole. The plural form naturally takes -ings, indicating multiple items or acts, and remains common in both technical writing and everyday speech.
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Words that rhyme with "cuttings"
-ngs sounds
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