2 syllables: de, gree. Stress on gree.
/dɪˈɡɹiː/
Say it backDegree refers to the extent or level of something, or a unit of measure in temperature, angles, or academic ranking. It denotes a specific amount or gradation and is used to describe relative intensity, quantity, or progression. In education, it also denotes a completed program of study granting an academic credential. The term encompasses measurement, achievement, and formal qualification contexts.
Common pronunciation mistakes occur when speakers fail to clearly separate the consonantal cluster /dɡ/ and the long vowel /iː/. Key corrections: - Ensure the /d/ release is crisp before the /ɡ/ onset; do not skip the /ɡ/ sound or merge it with /r/ in American variants. - Maintain a steady, unflinching /iː/ in the second syllable; avoid shortening it to /i/ or reducing to /iə/. - Be mindful of tongue position: the tip should contact the alveolar ridge for /d/, then quickly move to the velar /g/ without excessive rounding of the lips. - Use minimal pairs to reinforce separation: degree vs de-gree vs digi-ree. - Practice slow, then normal, then fast tempos to stabilize rhythm and stress.
"Her degree of certainty surprised her teammates."
"The temperature rose to a dangerous degree during the heatwave."
"She earned a master's degree in biomedical engineering."
Pronounce it as /dɪˈɡriː/. The stress is on the second syllable: di-GREE. Start with a short, relaxed /d/ followed by a reduced /ɪ/ in the first syllable, then a hard G and a long /iː/ in the second, ending with a light /ɡriː/ cluster. Put your tongue behind the upper teeth for the /d/ and keep the /ɡ/ hard but not aspirated. Audio reference: common learners reference as in many dictionaries.
Two frequent errors: (1) misplacing stress, pronouncing as de-GREE vs DEG-ree; ensure stress sinks on the second syllable. (2) weakening the first syllable too much and producing /dɪ/ as a schwa; keep the /ɪ/ sound short but clear. Practice by isolating the second syllable /riː/ with a long vowel and crisp /dɪ/ onset. Repetition of the /d/ + /ɡ/ combination helps prevent flapping or blending.
In US English, /dɪˈɡriː/ with a clear /ɡ/ and long /iː/. UK and many Commonwealth accents are similar, but non-rhotic tendencies may influence the vowel length slightly and the following /r/ can be less pronounced in rhotic accents. Australian English often keeps the same /ɡriː/ but with slightly more centralized or shortened vowels depending on speaker. Overall, the core is /dɪˈɡriː/ with stress on the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in maintaining the short, crisp initial /d/ /ɪ/ sequence while transitioning to the strong, elongated /riː/ without inserting extra vowels or softening the /g/. The consonant cluster /dɡ/ in rapid speech can blur; ensure clear articulation: start with /d/ quickly release into /ɡ/ then glide into the long /riː/. IPA attention helps prevent common slurring.
A unique feature is the strong secondary influence of the /r/ following the /ɡ/ in rhotic accents, creating the /ɡriː/ sequence. In non-rhotic accents (some UK variants), the /r/ is less pronounced, affecting the perceived duration of /riː/. Emphasize a tight, clean /d/ onset and separate onset for /ɡ/ before the vowel to avoid assimilation.
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- US: pronounce /dɪˈɡriː/ with a crisp /d/ and clear /ɡ/; rhotics do not affect degree much. Vowel quality is pure /iː/. - UK: similar syllable structure; you may hear a slightly shorter /iː/ in rapid speech and less prominent rhoticity in some speakers. - AU: stable /dɪˈɡriː/ with potential subtle vowel length differences depending on region; ensure the final /riː/ is unrounded and steady. - Focus on keeping the /ɡ/ as a distinct stop rather than a light /ɡ/ or /ɣ/ assimilation; IPA reference: /dɪˈɡriː/.
Degree comes from the Latin word graduus, meaning step, degree, or rank, via Old French degre. The path to English began in Middle English through the old French degre, related to gradus (step, grade) and gradi (to step, walk). The term originally described a step in a scale or rank and later broadened to mathematical angles, temperatures, and degrees of measurement. In the scholastic sense, degree evolved to denote a step in a course of study, culminating in a credential. Over time, degree acquired the general sense of level or extent (“to a degree”) and specialized meanings in temperature (degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit) and geometric angles (degrees of a circle). First known uses appear in the 14th–15th centuries in English legal, scientific, and educational texts, aligning with Latin and Old French scholarly vocabularies that emphasized gradation and measurement.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "degree" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "degree"
-eed sounds
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